ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Administrative Savings

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what administrative savings have been made by her Department in each of the last eight years.

Jim Knight: Information on gross and net controlled administration costs underspends for Whitehall Departments is published in the Public Expenditure Outturn White Papers for the relevant years. These are available in the Library of the House.
	DEFRA has also agreed efficiency targets, financial and staff, for the Spending Review 2004 period. These are set out in the Efficiency Technical Note which was published on DEFRA's website on 5 December 2005. It can be found at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/busplan/efficiencynote-0511.pdf.

Apiculture

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect on the UK honey bee population of the reduction in the National Bee Unit's budget.

Jim Knight: The Department has not reduced its expenditure with the National Bee Unit.

Apiculture

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many seasonal bee inspectors she expects to be employed by her Department in (a) January 2006 and (b) January 2007.

Jim Knight: Bee inspectors are employed by the National Bee Unit, which is part of the Central Science Laboratory, a Defra agency. The Unit expects to employ 28 seasonal bee inspectors in England in 2006 and 2007, unchanged from the number employed during 2005.

Bottom Ash Incinerator

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the risk assessment carried out by the Environment Agency in relation to the use of Incinerator Bottom Ash in the Tesco construction site at Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 20 December 2005
	Incinerator bottom ash aggregates were being used as a secondary construction material in the Tesco construction site of Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire under an exemption from waste management licensing. The Environment Agency does not normally carry out a risk assessment itself on exempted activities as they are considered low risk, but does check whether the information provided by the operators of the activity meets the terms and conditions of the exemption.
	Jacksons Civil Engineering Ltd. notified the Environment Agency of the use of this material in construction of the Tesco site, Gerrards Cross, as an exempt activity under the Regulations. The notification included a risk assessment provided by the producers of the aggregate. In accordance with Environment Agency policy, this document has been placed on the public register at their Hatfield Office (North East Area Office, Apollo Court, 2 Bishops Square Business Park, St. Albans Road West, Hatfield, Hertfordshire. AL109EX).

Climate Change

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which bodies are funded by her Department which are concerned with climate change; and how much funding these bodies received in 2003–04.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 January 2006
	The two key bodies funded by Defra to combat climate change are the Energy Saving Trust and the Carbon Trust. Total expenditure in 2003–04 by the Department on the Carbon Trust was £52.4 million and on Energy Saving Trust £29.8 million (including the Community Energy Programme).
	The Department also funds a number of research contracts relating to climate change. The total value of these in 2003–04 was £13.5 million. These include around £9.9 million for the Hadley Centre (part of the Meterological Office) and around £0.6 million funding to Oxford University for the UK Climate Impacts Programme.
	In addition the Environment Agency contributes to mitigation of greenhouse gases through its regulation of emissions and to society's adaptation to the impacts of climate change, notably by flood risk management. However, it is not possible to assess the proportion of the Agency's £1 billion per annum budget (60 per cent. of which is funded by Grant-in-Aid from Defra) that can specifically be attributed to climate change work.

Climate Change

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding the Government spent in 2003–04 on climate change adaption.

Elliot Morley: holding answer 10 January 2006
	The Government has no specific overall budget for adaptation to climate change. In many fields, adaptation to climate change is in its early stages and in general would be an incremental element of existing programmes. No detailed assessment has been made of the scale of this additional work.
	The Department is currently consulting on the development of the Government's Adaptation Policy Framework, an exercise that includes collation of a database of policies, measures and programmes that are already taking account of adaptation requirements. The results of this consultation exercise will be reported later in 2006.
	The answer given on 3 March 2005, Official Report, column 1275W, detailed the Department's spending in 2003–04 on research into the impacts of climate change and the identification of adaptation and mitigation options.

Departmental Costs

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) salary bill was and (b) administrative costs were for her Department in (i) each (A) nation and (B) region of the UK and (ii) London in 2004–05.

Jim Knight: The administration budgets regime overseen by the Treasury relates to Whitehall Departments only. How administration costs are controlled in the devolved Administrations is a matter for them. We do not monitor regional or central London administration costs separately.
	The most recent Public Expenditure Outturn White Paper (CMD 6639) records provisional 2004–05 departmental administration costs outturn. The DEFRA departmental report contains the estimated 2004–05 pay bill outturn.

Departmental Expenditure

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much was spent on advertising by (a) her Department, (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which her Department is responsible and (c) each independent statutory body, organisation and body financially sponsored by her Department in each year since May 1997.

Jim Knight: The Department does not maintain separate records of its expenditure for advertising. The expenditure for publicity by Defra's Communications Directorate includes marketing, advertising, publications, events, shows and direct mailings and is recorded for the financial years since Defra's creation in June 2001 as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 2001–02 6.6 
			 2002–03 4.7 
			 2003–04 2.5 
			 2004–05 4.2 
		
	
	This includes communications on a wide range of matters, much of it necessary or beneficial to the public and the wide range of industries in which Defra has an interest, together with local government, voluntary organisations and other bodies.
	Individual records of advertising spend for Defra's NDPBs, agencies and financially sponsored organisations are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many widescreen televisions have been purchased by her Department for use in London Headquarters in each of the last five years; and what the cost was in each year.

Jim Knight: The following table summarises the Department's rounded expenditure on widescreen televisions across the London headquarters estate since the beginning of the financial year 2001–02.
	
		
			  Quantity Cost (£) 
		
		
			 2001–02 — — 
			 2002–03 — — 
			 2003–04 1 1,400 
			 2004–05 7 10,900 
			 2005–06 15 22,520

Departmental Staff

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many civil servants in her Department worked from home for at least one day a week in the last year for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: No specific data is held by the Department on the precise extent of home working by staff. However, the practice appears to be on the increase now that we are promoting smart working and new, flexible, working practices (including home working). Recent staff survey data shows that 83 percent. of staff believe they are encouraged to work flexibly. Whilst these approaches are designed to improve the way we do business and deliver more efficiently, data from the same survey shows that 67 percent. of staff said they were able to achieve the optimum work/life balance.

Digital Mapping

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the cost to date is of the Rural Payments Agency's digital mapping exercise; how many staff have been employed for the exercise; at what cost; what the cost of the digital mapping software was; and what the annual running costs of the digital mapping exercise are.

Jim Knight: holding answer 9 January 2006
	Following the launch of the Rural Land Register in September 2004 the level of demand was higher than anticipated and this has affected the running costs for the first year.
	The approximate cost of establishing and running the Rural Land Register to date is £16.4 million.
	The approximate total number of staff including agency staff employed by the Rural Payments Agency for varying durations has been 865 at an approximate cost of £7.3 million.
	The cost of the digital mapping software was £0.4 million.
	The estimated annual running costs of the digital mapping exercise is £1.9 million.

Energy Consumption

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will require local authorities to follow the example of Woking borough council in reducing energy consumption.

Elliot Morley: Placing a requirement to act on local authorities would require the Government to fully fund this as a new burden. The Government cannot commit to beginning a programme of investment that had not been planned for. Neither Government nor local councils have made provision for such a programme.
	However many local authorities are already actively reducing energy consumption, both in their own operations and in the communities they serve. Through the beacon council theme on sustainable energy the Government are ensuring that good practice is shared. Woking borough council was granted Beacon Council Status for its work on Sustainable Energy in 2005

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings of the EU (a) Management Committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for cereals, (b) Management Committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for dehydrated fodder and (c) Management Committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for sugar have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: The Cereals Management Committee normally meets on a weekly basis in Brussels. The dates of meetings held during the UK presidency of the EU and the items discussed can be viewed at the following internet address:
	http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/minco/manco/cereals/index.htm.
	The Dried Fodder Management Committee met for the last time on 14 July 2005 in Brussels. A summary of the items discussed can be viewed at the following internet address:
	http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/minco/manco/feed/index.htm.
	In future, dried fodder issues will fall within the remit of the Cereals Management Committee.
	The Sugar Management Committee meets on either a fortnightly or weekly basis, depending on the time of year, in Brussels. The dates of meetings held during the UK presidency and the items discussed can be viewed at the following internet address:
	http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/minco/manco/sugar/index.htm
	The European Commission provides the Chair for each of these Committees. The UK is represented by officials from Defra and additionally, as necessary, by officials from the Rural Payments Agency and other UK Agriculture Departments.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings of the EU (a) Management Committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for oils and fats, (b) Management Committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for natural fibres and (c) Management Committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for milk and milk products have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved Governments; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information is as follows:
	(a) On 1 November the Management Committee for Fats and Oils became the Olive Oil Management Committee. It meets every month so during the UK presidency there have been six meetings. There was also a meeting when a vote was taken in the margins of another Management Committee. The meetings were chaired by European Commission officials. A Defra official represented the UK at each meeting. Reports of these meetings are copied to devolved administrations for information and comments.
	(b) The Management Committee of the common organisation of agricultural markets for natural fibres met three times in the period: 5 September 2005, 17 November 2005, and 29 November 2005. The meetings were chaired by European Commission officials. Defra officials represented the UK at each meeting. Reports of these meetings are copied to members of the devolved administrations for information and comments.
	(c) The Milk Management Committee met on 14 and 28 July, 25 August, 15 and 29 September, 13 and 27 October, 10 and 24 November, 15 December. The meetings were chaired by European Commission officials. Defra officials represented the UK at each meeting. Reports of these meetings are copied to members of the devolved administrations for information and comments, and during 2005 officials from the Welsh Assembly Government Environment, Planning and Countryside Department have attended as observers when subjects of particular interest were discussed.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings of the EU (a) Committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for beef and veal, (b) management committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for sheep and goats and (c) management committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for pigmeat have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved Governments; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The Beef and Veal Management Committee normally meets on a monthly basis in Brussels and is chaired by European Commission officials. The dates of meetings held during the UK presidency and the items discussed can be viewed at the following internet address: http://europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/minco/manco/beef/index.htm
	The UK was represented at these meetings by officials from Defra. Officials from the Rural Payments Agency and other UK Agriculture Departments attend as necessary but did not do so during the UK presidency.
	The Sheep and Goat Management Committee met twice during the UK presidency (on 16 November and 7 December). Both meetings were chaired by European Commission officials. The UK was represented by Defra officials.
	The Pigmeat Management Committee met during the UK presidency of the EU on 13 July, 20 September, 19 October, 16 November and 7 December 2005. Meetings were chaired by European Commission officials. The UK was represented by one official from Defra. The devolved authorities were consulted on agenda items prior to each meeting, and receive reports and papers shortly after each meeting.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings of the EU Committee on (a) geographical indications and protected designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs, (b) certificates of specific character for agricultural products and foodstuffs and (c) organic production of agricultural products and indications referring thereto on agricultural products and foodstuffs have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved Governments; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The information is as follows:
	(a) The Regulatory Committee on protected geographical indications and protected designations of origin for agricultural products and foodstuffs met twice in the period: 4 October 2005 and 6 December 2005. Both meetings were chaired by an official from the European Commission. Two Defra officials represented the UK at each meeting. Arrangements are in place to consult with the devolved administrations on the business conducted by the Regulatory Committee.
	(b) The Regulatory Committee on Certificates of Specific Character met once in the period: on 4 October 2005. The meeting was chaired by an official from the European Commission. Two Defra officials represented the UK. Arrangements are in place to consult with the devolved administrations on the business conducted by the Regulatory Committee.
	(c) The Standing Committee on Organic Farming met three times in the period; on 1 July 2005, 26 September 2005 and 30 November/1 December 2005. The Committee is chaired by an official of the European Commission. Officials from Defra represent the UK. Arrangements are in place for consultation with the devolved administrations on the business conducted by the Standing Committee.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings of the EU (a) management committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for seeds, (b) management committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for live plants and floriculture products and (c) management committees of the common organisation of agricultural markets for bananas have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Meetings of the Bananas Management Committee were held on 12 July, 15 November, 29 November and 13 December 2005. All four meetings were held in Brussels, chaired by officials of the European Commission and attended by Defra officials.
	There were no meetings of the Management Committees of the common organisation of the markets for seeds or live plants and floriculture products during the UK presidency.
	The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government).

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many meetings of the EU (a) Implementation Committee for spirit drinks, (b) Implementation Committee on aromatised wine-based drinks and (c) Joint Meetings of Management or regulatory committees in the field of agriculture—promotion of agricultural products have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Spirit Drinks Implementation Committee met once and the Joint Management Committee for the Promotion of Agricultural Products four times during the UK presidency of the EU. The Aromatised Wine Implementation Committee did not meet at all and has not done so since 2002.
	The Spirit Drinks Implementation Committee meeting took place on 27 September 2005. Two DEFRA officials represented the UK. The Joint Management Committee for the Promotion of Agricultural Products meetings took place on 19 July 2005, 28 September 2005, 30 November 2005 and 21 December 2005. A DEFRA official represented the UK at July and September's meetings and a DEFRA official and a Rural Payments Agency official did so at November's meeting. Two Rural Payments Agency officials attended December's meeting. All of these meetings were presided over by European Commission officials.
	The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved Administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved Administrations is set out in paragraphs B4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved Administrations have attended and do attend Councils, by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister. A copy is available on the internet at:
	www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_600629.pdf

Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list her Department's contractual obligations to the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research in each of the last 10 years.

Elliot Morley: Defra has committed funds for Research and Development projects to the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research over the 10 year period in question as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1996–97 6.875 
			 1997–98 6.082 
			 1998–99 6.318 
			 1999–2000 6.437 
			 2000–01 6.275 
			 2001–02 6.040 
			 2002–03 6.339 
			 2003–04 6.537 
			 2004–05 6.996 
			 2005–06 (1)6.383) 
		
	
	(1) Provisional
	Details of the projects funded, including individual project costings and the final reports from completed projects, are available on the Defra website at:
	http://www2.defra.gov.uk/research/project data/Default. asp.

National Flood Forum

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria were taken into account when deciding to discontinue funding of the National Flood Forum; and if she will make a statement.

Elliot Morley: Defra has policy responsibility for flood risk management in England. The Environment Agency is the principal operating authority with responsibility for flood risk management in England.
	I understand the Agency has agreed with the National Flood Forum Board of Directors that their core funding from the Agency will be phased out over a three-year period from December 2004 to ensure the Forum's independence from a single funding source, and allow it to establish a broader funding base. The Agency will continue to provide funding for the Forum on a project by project basis.

Parliamentary Questions

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will reply to Question 31449, on the EU sugar regime, tabledby the hon. Member for Hendon on 21 November 2005.

Jim Knight: I replied to the hon. Member on 20 December 2005.

Research and Development Strategy

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research's role in her Department's research and development strategy.

Elliot Morley: The Welsh Assembly Government have been consulted in the development of Defra's Evidence and Innovation Strategy; is an assessor on Defra's farming and food Research Priorities Group; and is party to the development of Defra's research funding plans.
	Defra procures R and D relevant to agriculture and fisheries at a range of research establishments including the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER). This research is funded to support both Defra and the Welsh Assembly Government policies. The Welsh Assembly Government are a close partner in the formulation of Defra research funding plans at a number of levels ranging from our Department wide Evidence and Innovation Strategies through to statements of policy rationale and scientific objectives for individual R and D programmes.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Expenditure

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much was spent on external consultants and advisers by (a) his Department, (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which his Department is responsible and (c) each independent statutory body, organisation and body financially sponsored by his Department in each year since May 1997.

Hilary Benn: For details of Contracts awarded to DFID since 1997 to assist with International Development, I refer the hon. Member for Angus to the response I gave to the hon. Member for St. Ives (Andrew George) on 28 November 2005, Official Report, column 55W.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) is responsible for financial sponsorship of Commonwealth Development Corporation (CDC). They do not however, retain a central record of expenditure on external consultants and to obtain this information would incur a disproportionate cost.

Guatemala (Violence against Women)

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he has taken to help the Guatemalan authorities reduce the incidence of violence against Guatemalan women.

Gareth Thomas: The Department for International Development is contributing €1 million through its share of the European Commission's (EC) 2004–07 project to strengthen the ability of the Guatemalan Indigenous Women's Ombudsman (Defensoria de la Mujer Indigena) to address the high levels of exclusion and violence suffered by poor indigenous rural women. The Ombudsman is part of the Guatemala Presidential Commission of Human Rights.
	The UK provides 18 per cent. of the funding of EC programmes to Guatemala.

Pakistan (Earthquake)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what shelters the UK Government is providing for the people of Pakistan following the earthquake there; and what assessment it has made of the adequacy of such shelters for winter temperatures and conditions in the affected region.

Gareth Thomas: holding answer 9 January 2006
	As a part of DFID's overall response to the Pakistan earthquake, we have provided in-kind assistance in the form of 5,500 winterised tents, as well as plastic sheeting, blankets and ropes which are an integral part of the International Organisation for Migration's (IOM) tent winterisation package. In addition, we are providing financial support as well as staff secondments to the IOM, the lead international agency managing shelter issues, as well as financial support to six non governmental organisations that are implementing shelter programmes. This support is helping relocated North West Frontier and Kashmir populations in camps at lower altitude as well as those villagers living in remote locations above 5,000 feet. It has enabled the construction of temporary warm rooms" made of galvanised iron sheets to assist those affected by the earthquake to survive the Himalayan winter.
	DFID has been working actively with a range of donor partners, the Government of Pakistan, as well as beneficiaries, to gauge the appropriateness of the shelter assistance provided. When it became clear that a high proportion of the shelters distributed (excluding the DFID-provided tents) was not winterised, DFID provided an additional £2,000,000 of in-kind assistance to support the activities of the responding international community. We are currently discussing whether additional financial or in-kind support is required. DFID support through the financing of transport aircraft provided by NATO and in-country helicopter operations includes the delivery of shelter materials for the UN and humanitarian agencies.
	The tents provided by DFID are fully certified winterised tents with provision for heating by stove. We are content that the additional in-kind support is of appropriate quality and meets UN and/or International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) standards.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Police Service

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the effect of the 50/50 ruling on the recruitment of suitably qualified Protestants to the Police Service of Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Shaun Woodward: Since 2001, the unprecedented level of interest in joining the PSNI, from across the whole community, has reflected the increasing confidence in policing in Northern Ireland, and has created an inevitable surplus of suitably qualified candidates for a finite number of posts. I am advised that only 541 suitably qualified non-Catholic candidates, from the first eight campaigns, will be rejected as a result of 50/50. This is less than two percent of all non-Catholic applications.

Kneecappings

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many kneecappings have been recorded in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

Shaun Woodward: The PSNI does not record offences separately. I can tell you that in the last five years the number of shootings has more than halved, from 186 in 2001 to 85 last year.

Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with Sinn Fein on the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill.

David Hanson: The Secretary of State and Ministers have had discussions with a number of political parties including Sinn Fein.

School Admissions

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department has taken to consult parents in Northern Ireland on his plans to change arrangements for academic selection for post-primary education.

Angela Smith: Throughout the review of post-primary education, the Department has consulted with parents in a number of ways, including through public meetings, focus groups, questionnaires including a household response form, meetings with representative groups and through written submissions. All views were considered before decisions were taken on the new post-primary arrangements.

School Admissions

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps his Department has taken to consult parents in Northern Ireland on his plans to change arrangements for academic selection for post-primary education.

Angela Smith: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Shipley (Philip Davies).

Giant's Causeway

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made in developing visitor facilities at the Giant's Causeway.

Angela Smith: I can confirm that good progress continues to be made In relation to the provision of new visitor facilities at the Giant's Causeway. The design has been selected following a very successful international architectural competition. In addition, a separate firm of designers has recently been appointed to design and fit out the new facilities.

On-the-run Terrorists

Edward Leigh: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his plans to deal with on-the-run terrorists returning to Northern Ireland.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier.

Ambulance Services

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on (a) ambulance service cover in Derry city and (b) night-time cover in Derry city during the Christmas period.

Shaun Woodward: Accident and emergency ambulance services in Derry city are commissioned by the western health and social services board from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) on the basis of historical patterns of demand. Levels of cover therefore vary to meet demand but there are usually three to five vehicles on duty during the day and two to three at night crewed by a total complement of 46 operational staff.
	During the recent Christmas period, NIAS experienced an unusually high level of staff sickness absence. In addition to six Altnagelvin station staff already absent, a further seven reported sick at short notice. As a result, of 58 planned shifts over the period 24 to 29 December, it was possible to cover only 41. However, full cover was resumed on 30 December 2005 and was maintained over the rest of the period including new year's eve.
	Immediate action taken to reduce the impact of the sickness absence included redeploying staff from other stations, offering overtime to ambulance staff throughout Northern Ireland, assigning day shift staff to night-time cover, redeploying rapid response vehicles and introducing additional non-emergency vehicles to minimise the need for emergency crews to undertake non- emergency work.
	In the longer term NIAS plans to review its procedures for allocating leave and overtime, and shift rotas to ensure effective staff cover. NIAS will incorporate its findings into a review of its absence management procedures.
	While there was considerable additional pressure placed on ambulance personnel in NIAS's western division, I am pleased to say that the ambulance service's response to life threatening calls in the area and, in particular within Derry city itself, remained on a par with its performance across Northern Ireland performance during the period.

Civil Servants

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the basic hourly rate is for Northern Ireland civil service starting grades.

Angela Smith: The Northern Ireland civil service general service recruitment grades are administrative assistant, administrative officer, executive officer II and staff officer graduate. New entrants are normally recruited at the minimum of the respective salary scale. The basic hourly rate for the minimum of these grades are as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Administrative assistant 5.132 
			 Administrative officer 5.617 
			 Executive officer II 6.557 
			 Staff officer graduate 9.172

Departmental Expenditure

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate his Department has made of public expenditure on housing in (a) the public and (b) the private sector in the last five years for which figures are available.

David Hanson: The amounts of public expenditure allocated to housing in the public and private sectors over the last five years is as follows:
	
		£ million
		
			  Public sector funding Private sector funding Total 
		
		
			 2000–01 318.748 42.133 360.881 
			 2001–02 330.453 43.104 373.557 
			 2002–03 387.555 43.000 430.555 
			 2003–04 421.196 42.119 463.315 
			 2004–05 408.853 45.742 454.595

Departmental Software

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to what extent open-source software is being used by Government Departments in Northern Ireland; and whether the recommendations of the e-Government policy unit on this are being implemented.

Angela Smith: Open Source is currently being used in two Government Departments in NI for specific projects.
	Other Departments are evaluating it and this is underpinned by the NICS ICT strategy which states that the NICS will consider the use of Open Source.
	The NICS has adopted the UK Government e-Government Interoperability Framework (eGIF) which mandates open standards and specifications.

Driving Offences (Mobile Phones)

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many successful prosecutions there have been in Northern Ireland for the offence of using a mobile phone while driving since its introduction.

David Hanson: Until 2004 data relating to offences prosecuted by the police become available early this year information is currently available only for those cases prosecuted by the new Public Prosecution Service. Since the introduction of the offence on 1 February 2004, a total of 18 persons have been found guilty of driving while using a mobile phone. The majority of minor offences dealt with in the magistrates courts are prosecuted by the police and this continues to be the case except in the Belfast Region and Fermanagh and Tyrone which are now covered by the Public Prosecution Service which commenced in June 2005.

Government Estate

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many buildings in Northern Ireland are owned by the Government; what the average spare office capacity in them has been in each of the last 10 years; and what plans he has to lease further space to private firms.

Angela Smith: There are currently 162 Government owned office buildings in Northern Ireland. Records showing the average spare office capacity for each building in each of the last 10 years are not held. However, at 1 December 2005 0.8 per cent. of the 261,000 m 2 of space available was vacant. There are currently no plans to lease space out to private firms.

Ministerial Car Fleet

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the cost of (a) ministerial cars and (b) drivers in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office cannot provide the information requested by the hon. Gentleman as we cannot identify separate costs for Ministers' cars and drivers.
	All Ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code" and Travel by Ministers", copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.
	In respect of Ministerial cars provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA); my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office (Jim Murphy) has asked Roy Burke, Chief Executive of the GCDA, to write to the hon. Member with details of the costs of Ministerial vehicles provided to Departments in 2004–05. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library.
	For information for the financial years 2000–01 to 2003–04 I refer the hon. Member to the letters from the Chief Executive of the GCDA to the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow) dated 10 January 2005 and to the then hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Howard Flight) dated 13 September 2003. Copies of these letters are available in the Library.

Public Bodies/Agencies

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff are employed by non-departmental public bodies and agencies for which he has responsibility.

Angela Smith: As at 31 March 2005 there were 84,353 staff employed by non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Northern Ireland departments and the Northern Ireland Office and 19,402.5 staff employed in Executive Agencies attached to Northern Ireland departments and the Northern Ireland Office.

Public Order

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been (a) arrested, (b) charged and (c) convicted following public order disturbances in North Belfast since 1 January.

Shaun Woodward: PSNI advise that during the period 1 January to 31 December 2005, there were 93 persons charged with riotous behaviour, riotous assembly and disorderly behaviour in North Belfast DCU.
	1. Statistics refer to those brought against a person after the original period of detention (including extensions). Any subsequent changes, additions, deletions to the original charges are not included.
	2. Statistics are provisional and may be subject to minor amendment.
	PSNI do not link charges to specific incidents.
	PSNI do not record the number of arrests centrally.
	PSNI do not record convictions.

Short Measures

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many publicans in Northern Ireland were fined for selling short measures in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: In the last 10 years, three publicans in Northern Ireland were fined for short measure offences: one in 1996 and two in 2005.

Sickness Absence

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of absence from work in the Province in the last five years;
	(2)  what estimate he made of the cost to public funds of absence from work in the Province due to work-related illness in the last five years.

Angela Smith: The information requested is not available. However the hon. Lady may wish to refer to the workplace health strategy for Northern Ireland, Working for Health', published by the Health and Safety Executive in 2003. This estimated Northern Ireland's whole economy bill for work-related ill health at some £330 million per year. A copy of this document will be placed in the Library.

Waiting Lists (Neurology)

Mark Durkan: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the (a) length of the waiting list is and (b) average waiting times are to (i) see a neurologist and (ii) receive beta interferon in each of the four health and social services board areas.

Shaun Woodward: Waiting list information is collected by time band. It is therefore not possible to calculate the arithmetic mean (average) length of time waiting. It is however possible to identify the median or mid point waiting time band.
	(i) The number of patients waiting for a first outpatient appointment with a neurology consultant at 30 September 2005 and the median waiting time in each health and social services board is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Waiting for a first outpatient appointment with a neurology consultant at 30 September 2005 
			 Health board of residence  (a) Number waiting (b) Median waiting time band 
		
		
			 Eastern 1,857 3–5 months 
			 Northern 1,288 3–5 months 
			 Southern 865 3–5 months 
			 Western 1,047 6–8 months 
			 NI Total 5,068 3–5 months 
		
	
	Note:
	Patients currently suspended from waiting list are excluded from these figures. The NI total of 5,068 patients includes 11 patients whose board of residence was not specified (including private patients and those resident outside of Northern Ireland). The most recent information available from the Department is at 30 September 2005.
	Source:
	Departmental Information Return CH3 Parts 1 and 2
	(ii) The number of patients waiting for beta interferon treatment at 30 November 2005 and the median waiting time in each health and social services board is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Waiting for beta interferon treatment at 30 November 2005 
			 Health board of residence  (a) Number waiting (b) Median waiting time band 
		
		
			 Eastern 54 6–8 months 
			 Northern 62 6–8 months 
			 Southern 16 6–8 months 
			 Western 20 9–11 months 
			 NI Total 152 6–8 months 
		
	
	Note:
	Nine patients currently suspended from the waiting list are excluded from these figures.
	Source:
	Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust

TREASURY

EU Agriculture Budget

Michael Gove: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the EU budget will be spent on agriculture, including rural development, over the period 2007 to 2013; and what proportion of the EU budget was spent on agriculture, including rural development, in each year since 2000.

Ivan Lewis: The EU budget agreed by the European Council on 17 December for the period 2007–2013 will be €863 billion (in 2004 prices) on a commitments basis. Forty three percent. of this total is allocated to agriculture, including rural development (Heading 2). The comparable figures for the period 2000–2006 are:
	
		
			  Proportion of spending on agriculture (Heading 1) 
		
		
			 2000 44 
			 2001 46 
			 2002 47 
			 2003 47 
			 2004 43 
			 2005 43 
			 2006 43

EU Finances

Michael Gove: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the estimated value will be (a) in euros and (b) as a proportion of gross national income of each member state's (i) gross contribution to the EU including overseas aid spending, (ii) contribution to the UK abatement, (iii) receipts of EU spending and (iv) net contribution to the EU budget over the period 2007 to 2013.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to the hon. Member for Altrinchham and Sale West on 10 October 2005, Official Report, column 290W.

Regional GDP

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government are taking to decrease disparities in regional gross domestic product and gross value added per capita; and which Minister is in charge of those steps.

Des Browne: The Government are committed to a public service agreement (PSA) target to: make sustainable improvements in the economic performance of all English regions by 2008, and over the long-term reduce the persistent gap in growth rates between the regions." The Deputy Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Trade and Industry are jointly responsible for this target. The Government are working with the devolved administrations to promote economic growth, full employment and prosperity for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Tax Credits

George Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average length of a phone call to the tax credit helpline was in the last period for which figures are available; what percentage of calls to the tax credit helpline were answered within (a) one minute, (b) two minutes, (c) five minutes and (d) at all; and what the average waiting time was for calls to be answered by a tax credit helpline operator.

Dawn Primarolo: We do not have available information on the average length of a phone call to the tax credit helpline. Information on percentages of calls answered within specific times other than 20 seconds is not kept.

Tax Credits

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost of the programme to digitise telephone conversations between members of the public and staff of HM Revenue and Customs in relation to queries about tax credits.

Dawn Primarolo: Total costs incurred to date on the Witness Call Archiving project are around £2 million.
	The benefits of the Witness Call Archiving project are that they allow call recordings to be stored in an easily retrievable way that helps with queries, complaints, call monitoring etc. This system allows appropriately authorised users to search and replay calls remotely, this ultimately saves a significant amount of time in the complaints/query process.

Tax Credits

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many disputed tax credit cases were decided in each month since June 2004; what proportion of disputes have been decided in the disputant's favour; how many tax credit disputes received since April 2003 have yet to be decided; and how many disputes have been raised since June.

Dawn Primarolo: A monthly breakdown of the number of disputed overpayment decisions is not available for 2004–05.
	To ensure they provide the most accurate information available, HM Revenue and Customs has changed its method of counting decisions made in 2005–06 since I answered the hon. Gentleman on 21 July 2005 and 10 October 2005, Official Report, columns 2033W and 282W. Figures for July 2005 to November 2005, inclusive, are around:
	
		
			 Month (2005) Disputed overpayment decisions (households) 
		
		
			 July 30,500 
			 August 42,500 
			 September 52,000 
			 October 45,500 
			 November 22,000 
		
	
	For those cases, HMRC wrote off a disputed overpayment in around 35 per cent. of cases up to 30 November 2005.
	At the end of November 2005, around 54,000 disputes were awaiting a decision.
	Between 1 June 2005 and 30 November 2005 around 187,000 households disputed a tax credits overpayment.

Tax Credits

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cases of fraud have been detected in Northern Ireland in relation to tax credit claims in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

VAT

John Hemming: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has plans to charge VAT on domestic flights.

Dawn Primarolo: VAT is already charged on aircraft fuel supplied for flights within the UK at either the standard rate or reduced rate of 5 percent., depending on the type and quantity of fuel being supplied.

TRANSPORT

Air Quality

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the revised methodology for air quality around airports; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

Karen Buck: The Department's air quality technical panel process was initiated following commitments in the Air Transport White Paper related to the future development of Heathrow. It is expected to complete its report during February. This activity concerns the approach to modelling of air quality at Heathrow only. The report will be placed in the House Library.

Automatic Number Plate Recognition

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2005, Official Report, column 759W, on automatic number plate recognition, how long information collected by the police will be held as a record on police computer databases before deletion in (a) the pilot programme and (b) the proposed national scheme.

Paul Goggins: I have been asked to reply.
	Pursuant to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington on 11 July 2005, Official Report, column 759W, my officials have been working closely with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to ensure that information collected by Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technologies and retained by the Police is cognisant of the relevant data protection legislation. The specific ACPO guidance states:
	a period of two years in a 'live, searchable system' incorporating 'a controlled access environment' after 90 days. This period of retention is to facilitate the searching of that data on a case-by-case basis, should a crime committed during the deployment come to light during that two-year period. It would be expected that after the initial 90 days period, the data will be 'partitioned' for the rest of its retention period. In the period of 91 days to two years, the data will only be accessed for a justified policing need. Access to this data will be 'controlled and documented' to ensure its compliance with the proportionality, justification and use. In exceptional circumstances there may be operational grounds to justify retention of ANPR data beyond the two-year period. Should this occur a record of the grounds should be retained".
	This document covers the European Convention for Human Rights. Data Protection, the Regulatory Investigative Powers Act 2000 and the Freedom of Information Act 2000 relating to the Police use of ANPR (excluding speed enforcement devices) and is applicable to all police forces in England and Wales.

Bridges

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost to date of strengthening bridges to accommodate 44 tonne lorries;
	(2)  what percentage of the costs of strengthening bridges to accommodate 44 tonne lorries has been borne by (a) the Highways Agency, (b) local authorities, (c) Network Rail, (d) Railtrack, (e) British Rail and (f) other organisations.

Stephen Ladyman: Since 1 January 1999 the United Kingdom has been required to implement EU Directive 89/460/EC, which allows the use of road vehicles with 11.5 tonne axle loads and plated vehicle weights of 40 tonnes. These vehicles are more demanding in loading terms than a 44 tonne vehicle on six axles. The Directive applies to principal routes" used in international traffic, and in the UK these have been assumed to be motorways, all purpose trunk roads and the primary route network.
	Under The Railway Bridges (Load Bearing Standards) Regulations (England and Wales) Order 1972 (SI 1705/1972) bridges carrying highways over railways are required to take a 24 tonne rigid lorry or a 32 tonne articulated lorry. So any strengthening to take 40 tonne (or 44 tonne) lorries is the sole responsibility of the relevant highway authority.
	When the Directive came into force, all bridges on the motorway and trunk road network were able to accommodate 40 tonne vehicles. In the six years from 2001–02 to 2006–07 £205 million has been provided to strengthen bridges on the local authority primary route network to take 40 tonne lorries. In the same period £703 million has been provided to strengthen local authority bridges not on the primary route network, but not all of these bridges are required to take the 40 tonne loading.

Bypasses

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list bypasses built in each of the last five years.

Stephen Ladyman: The following table lists the Highways Agency trunk road and local authority bypass schemes (at a cost of over £5 million) which have been completed in each of the last five years:
	
		
			  Scheme 
		
		
			 2000 Rainworth Bypass 
			   
			 2001 A174 Skelton and Brotton Bypass 
			  Burntwood Bypass Phase 1 and 2, Staffordshire 
			  A151 Weston Bypass 
			  C541 Addlethorpe Bypass and Bernd Improvement 
			   
			 2002 A143 Broome-Ellingham 
			  A131 Great Leighs 
			  A6023 Denaby Main Diversion 
			  A511 Ashby Bypass 
			  A27 Polegate Bypass 
			  A43 Silverstone Bypass 
			  A6 Clapham Bypass 
			  A66 Stainburn and Great Clifton Bypass 
			  Wyre Piddle Bypass, Worcestershire 
			  A428 Crick Bypass 
			   
			 2003 A350 Semington—Melksham Diversion 
			  Barnsley Coalfields Link Road (aka Shafton Bypass) 
			  A6 Great Glen Bypass 
			  A53 Hodnett Bypass 
			  5 Nesscliffe Bypass 
			  500 Basford, Hough and Shavington Bypass 
			  6 Rothwell—Desborough Bypass 
			  6 Rushden and Higham Ferrers Bypass 
			  6 Alvaston Bypass 
			  650 Bingley Relief Road 
			  4146 Stoke Hammond and Linslade Bypass (Northern Section) 
			  South Thames Development Route 
			  41 Aston Clinton Bypass 
			  527 Biddulph Inner Bypass 
			  Ashton-Under-Lyne Northern Bypass (Greater Manchester) 
			   
			 2004 St Clements Way, Thurrock (aka West Thurrock Marshes Relief Road) 
			  A607 Rearsby Bypass 
			  Mansfield Ashfield Regeneration Route 
			  A63 Selby Bypass 
			  A10 Wadesmill Colliers End 
			   
			 2005 A167 Chilton Bypass 
			  A21 Lamberhurst Bypass 
			  A47 Thorney Bypass 
			  A142 Fordham Bypass 
			  Gloucester South West Bypass (Castlemeads section) 
			  A5 Weeford-Fazeley Improvement 
			  A158 Coastal Access Improvement Phase 1—Partney Bypass 
			  A428 West Haddon Bypass 
			  A57 Cadishead Way (Brinell Drive to City Boundary) (Greater Manchester)

Concessionary Transport

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the percentage of (a) elderly and (b) disabled people who paid half fare or less on public transport in (i) 2000 and (ii) 2004.

Karen Buck: Based on data from the National Travel Survey, it is estimated that in 2000 41 per cent. of people of pensionable age in England held a pass for reduced or free travel. In 2004, following the extension of the eligibility of passes to men aged 60 and over in 2003, 51 per cent. of people aged 60 and over in England had a pass for reduced or free travel.
	Data on the percentage of disabled people benefiting from reduced or free travel on public transport are not available.

Concessionary Transport

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the cost of extending the free fares local bus scheme for over 60s and people with disabilities to a national free fares bus scheme.

Karen Buck: Initial analysis suggests the cost could be around £100 million a year, but £160 million if peak bus services were included, on top of the additional funding (£350 million for 2006–07) already being provided.

Eurostar

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ask Eurostar to review security arrangements on journeys from Waterloo and Ashford, with particular reference to baggage checks on all passengers.

Derek Twigg: Eurostar is directed on security matters under the Channel Tunnel (Security) Order 1994. Amongst a number of measures designed to provide a level of security proportional to the threat is the requirement to screen baggage. This is done using X-ray equipment similar to that in use at airports. Security measures are kept under continual review.

Heathrow Airport

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many responses to the first stage of the night flight restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports consultation relating to Heathrow advocated a rise in the number of night flights over and above the existing movement restrictions at Heathrow; how many advocated (a) a reduction in the number of and (b) a ban on such flights in (i) the immediate short-term and (ii) the long-term; and if he will make a statement.

Karen Buck: A summary of responses to the stage one paper has been published on the Department's website and includes some of the general comments made by consultees. The consultation posed nine questions about issues such as the way aircraft are classified for night restrictions purposes and the possible noise abatement objectives for the airports concerned. Consultees were not specifically asked for their views on what the number of night flights at each airport should be, as this matter was to be dealt with in the stage two consultation. Of the approximately 1800 responses to the consultation paper about 400 indicated in commenting that they would like to see an immediate ban or a commitment to working towards a ban on night flights. A large majority of these responses were from the Heathrow area.

Heathrow Airport

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many consultation responses relating to Heathrow were received in the (a) first and (b) second stage of the night flight restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports consultation; and if he will make a statement.

Karen Buck: There were approximately 1800 responses to stage one of the consultation exercise. The following table shows responses received which commented specifically on the position at Heathrow area:
	
		
			 Category Number of responses 
		
		
			 Local authorities 22 
			 Environmental groups 33 
			 Individuals 850 
			 Petitions 500 
		
	
	Responses were also received from airlines, airline organisations and other industry representatives but their responses tended to include all three airports and were not generally Heathrow specific.
	Responses from the stage two consultation are still being analysed and a summary, including some numerical analysis will be available, in due course.

Heathrow Airport

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many responses to the second stage of the night flight restrictions at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted Airports consultation relating to Heathrow (a) supported and (b) opposed the proposal in paragraph 7.25 for a rise in the number of night flights over and above the existing movement restrictions at Heathrow; and if he will make a statement.

Karen Buck: Responses to the stage two consultation paper are being analysed and decisions will be announced in due course. A summary of responses to the consultation along with some numerical analysis will be published with the decision announcement.

Low-speed Zones

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many 20 mph zones have been established in each of the last five years; and what the total cost was in each of those years.

Stephen Ladyman: This information is not held by the Department. Local highway authorities are responsible for setting local speed limits, including 20 mph limits where they deem these to be appropriate.

Park and Ride

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many park and ride schemes have been opened since 2000; and how many he expects will open in (a) 2005–06 and (b) 2006–07.

Karen Buck: The local authority returns provided to the Department indicate that outside London 55 new park and ride schemes have opened in the financial years 2001–02 to 2004–05 (inclusive). 21 were forecast to open in 2005–06. There is not a recent forecast available for 2006–07.

Rail Freight

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funding was made available for rail freight in each year since 2000–01.

Derek Twigg: Direct support for rail freight is provided through three schemes. These are Freight Facilities Grants (FFG), Track Access Grant (TAG) and Company Neutral Revenue Support (CNRS). The amounts spent in the period is as follows (incl. England, Scotland and Wales):
	
		
			  TAG CNRS FFG 
		
		
			 2000–01 13.9 0 (2)22.3 
			 2001–02 19.9 0 41.2 
			 2002–03 21.3 0 30.6 
			 2003–04 17.5 0 19.8 
			 2004–05 1.7 22.0 4.8 
		
	
	(2) 2000–01 includes waterways FFG.

Railways

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average age of trains used on the UK's railways is; and what the average life of a train is.

Derek Twigg: The average age of the UK passenger fleet as at 1 October 2005 is 13 years. Typically the design life of rolling stock is between 30 and 35 years.

Road Improvements

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list trunk roads widened in each of the last five years.

Stephen Ladyman: A total of eight trunk roads have been widened, over the last five years, as follows:
	
		
			 Scheme Date of completion 
		
		
			 A43 Whitfield Turn—Brackley Hatch Improvement September 2002 
			 A43 M40—B4031 Dualling September 2002 
			 A1 Willowburn to Denwick Improvement March 2003 
			 A11 Roudham Heath—Attleborough Improvement March 2003 
			 A46 Newark—Lincoln Improvement July 2003 
			 A1033 Hedon Road Improvement November 2003 
			 A120 Stansted—Braintree Improvement July 2004 
			 A2 Bean—Cobham Phase 1 Bean—Tollgate December 2004 
		
	
	In addition three motorways have been widened and these are:
	
		
			 Scheme Date of completion 
		
		
			 A1 (M) Wetherby—Walshford December 2004 
			 M5 J17–18A Northbound Climbing Lane October 2005 
			 M25J12–15 Widening December 2005

Road Improvements

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list schemes completed in the Highways Agency Targeted Programme of Improvements.

Stephen Ladyman: Since 2002, 32 schemes formerly in the Targeted Programme of Improvements have now been completed. These are as follows:
	
		
			 Date of completion Scheme 
		
		
			 June 2002 A27 Polegate Bypass 
			 September 2002 A43 Silverstone Bypass 
			 September 2002 A43 Whitfield Turn-Brackley Hatch Improvement 
			 September 2002 A43 M40-B4031 Dualling 
			 December 2002 A6 Clapham Bypass 
			 December 2002 A66 Stainburn and Great Clifton Bypass 
			 February 2003 A6 Great Glen Bypass 
			 March 2003 A1 Willowburn to Denwick Improvement 
			 March 2003 A5 Nesscliffe Bypass 
			 March 2003 A11 Roudham Heath-Attleborough Improvement 
			 May 2003 A500 Basford, Hough, Shavington Bypass 
			 July 2003 A46 Newark-Lincoln Improvement 
			 August 2003 A6 Rushden and Higham Ferrers Bypass 
			 August 2003 A6 Rothwell-Desborough Bypass 
			 October 2003 A41 Aston Clinton Bypass 
			 November 2003 A1033 Hedon Road Improvement 
			 December 2003 A6 Alvaston 
			 December 2003 A650 Bingley Relief Road 
			 June 2004 A63 Selby Bypass 
			 July 2004 A120 Stansted-Braintree Improvement 
			 September 2004 A34 Chieveley/M4 J13 Improvement 
			 October 2004 A10 Wadesmill Colliers End 
			 October 2004 A1 Stannington Junction 
			 December 2004 A2 Bean-Cobham Phase 1 Bean-Tollgate 
			 March 2005 A21 Lamberhurst Bypass 
			 June 2005 A64 Colton Lane GSJ 
			 August 2005 A1(M) Wetherby-Walshford 
			 October 2005 A5 Weeford-Fazeley Improvement 
			 October 2005 M5 Junctions 17–18a Northbound Climbing Lane 
			 November 2005 M4 Junction 18 Eastbound Diverge 
			 December 2005 M25 J12–15 Widening 
			 December 2005 A47 Thorney Bypass

Road Improvements

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress the Government have made towards their aim to halt the deterioration in local road conditions by 2004; what schemes it funded to meet that aim; and how much each scheme cost.

Karen Buck: The National Road Maintenance Condition Survey for 2004 showed that the Government had achieved their aim of halting the deterioration in local roads by that year. Local road condition overall in 2004 was significantly better than in 2000.
	To help to achieve this improvement the Government provided £3.264 billion of capital funding and £7.920 billion of revenue funding for local highway maintenance in the four years from 2001–02 to 2004–05. Specific schemes that were funded in that period and their costs are shown as follows:
	
		
			 Authority Scheme Cost (£ million) 
		
		
			 Birmingham Highway Maintenance PFI 379.00 
			 Leeds Street Lighting PFI 94.60 
			 Surrey Street Lighting PFI 65.60 
			 Newcastle/North Tyneside Street Lighting PFI 44.40 
			 Manchester Street Lighting PFI 34.10 
			 Derby City Street Lighting PFI 32.47 
			 Dorset Street Lighting PFI 31.60 
			 South Tyneside Street Lighting PFI 31.50 
			 Barnet Street Lighting PFI 27.77 
			 Ealing Street Lighting PFI 25.28 
			 Surrey Walton Bridge 25.26 
			 Enfield Street Lighting PFI 23.70 
			 Redcar and Cleveland Street Lighting PFI 21.10 
			 Leicester City Upperton Road Viaduct 19.10 
			 Lambeth Street Lighting PFI 17.22 
			 Wakefield Street Lighting PFI 16.20 
			 Oldham Retaining Walls 14.00 
			 Halton Silver Jubilee Bridge 11.89 
			 Newcastle Central Motorway East 7.93 
			 Blackburn and Darwen Freckleton Street Bridge 7.90 
			 Bedfordshire Arlesey Bridge 7.43 
			 Isle of Wight Undercliff Drive 5.16 
			 East Riding A161 Dutch River Crossing, Goole 4.75 
			 Peterborough A15 Town Rail Bridge 3.64 
			 Thurrock A1306 Stifford Railway Bridge 3.10 
			 Bolton A58 Beaumont Road 3.00 
			 Bath and NE Somerset A367 Churchill Down to Churchill Gyratory 2.23 
			 Sefton A570 Eastbank Street Bridge, Southport 2.13 
			 North Somerset A38 Barrow Tanks to Bristol 2.10 
			 Bournemouth A338 Wessex Way 2.10 
			 Southend on Sea Hamlet Court Road Bridge Approaches 1.92 
			 Knowsley A562 Higher Road, Halewood 1.80 
			 Medway Towns A278 Hoath Way 1.62 
			 Blackburn and Darwen Waterfall Bridge 1.56 
			 Rutland A6003 Caldecott to Oakham 1.31 
			 Brighton and Hove A259 West Street to Royal Albion 1.10 
			 Bury A665 Bury Old Road, Prestwich 1.06 
			 Torbay A380 Torbay Ring Road 0.88 
			 Derby City A52 Ashbourne Road/Friar Gate 0.79 
			 NE Lincolnshire A16 Victoria Street, Grimsby 0.79 
			 Bracknell Forest A329 London Road 0.60 
			 Hartlepool A1049 Railway Bridge to Romaine Park 0.42 
			 Total for specific schemes  980.08

Stratford Stations

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his answer of 29 November 2005, Official Report, column 327W, on Stratford stations, what kind of direct access he expects will be provided between Stratford International and Regional Stations from 2010; and whether any arrangements besides step-free access from Dockland Light Railway trains to street level will be provided for passengers with disabilities travelling to or between Stratford International and Regional Stations during the 2012 Olympic Games.

Derek Twigg: Subject to the approval of applications which are currently before the Secretary of State, the main form of direct access between the Stratford International and Regional Stations will be the proposed Docklands Light Railway (DLR) link from 2010. Access from DLR trains to platforms will be step free and both Stratford International and Stratford Regional Stations will provide step free access from platform to street for passengers with mobility difficulties.
	In addition, the deemed planning permission for the CTRL development at Stratford (granted in 2001 to Union Railways North, a subsidiary of LCR), requires a 'mechanised link1 such as a travelator to be constructed between Stratford Regional and International Stations. Also, the outline planning consent for the Stratford City development, granted in 2004, requires the developer to make physical provision for the mechanised link, provided that LB Newham agree the procurement date and design of the travelator by January 2006. Discussions on how this requirement might be fulfilled are underway between LCR and London borough of Newham, who as local planning authority are responsible for the enforcement of these conditions.

Transport (Gravesham)

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with Gravesham borough council on the Government's plans for concessionary travel for pensioners.

Karen Buck: None. The statutory entitlement to free off-peak local bus travel in England for people 60 and over and disabled people will come into effect on 1 April 2006. The Department for Transport has issued guidance to local authorities on implementation but it is for individual concessionary travel authorities, to design and operate their local concessionary fares scheme.

Unadopted Roads

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the number of unadopted roads in England.

Karen Buck: We have no current estimate of the number of unadopted roads in England as this information is not held centrally.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Administrative Costs

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which functions of her core Department are carried out in (a) England and (b) London; and what administrative costs were associated with these functions for each area in the last year.

David Lammy: My Department's main activity is to set Government policy on a range of cultural and leisure activities. An analysis of administration costs by activity for 2004–05 as published in the Department's Annual Account 2005 (page 87) is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Analysis by activity £ million 
		
		
			 Arts and Culture 11 
			 Sport 5 
			 Tourism, Libraries and Communities 6 
			 Creative Industries, Broadcasting and Gambling 9 
			 Central administration 10 
			 Total net administration costs (3)41 
		
	
	(3) Estimated outturn
	My core Department is wholly based in London and, at present, administration costs are not attributed to areas.

Administrative Costs

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total administrative costs for her core Department are; and whether these are regarded as (a) identifiable and (b) non-identifiable for the purposes of public expenditure statistical analyses.

David Lammy: The administration budgets regime overseen by the Treasury relates to Whitehall Departments only. Control of administration costs in the devolved Administrations is a matter for them.
	My Department's net administration costs were £40,452k in 2004–05, and £39,335k in 2003–04. Table 8.19 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA) 2005 shows the Department's expenditure on services for 2003–04 (the latest available), including the elements of each that are identifiable and non-identifiable. Expenditure on administration is classified as in the same way as the service it supports. Copies of PESA 2005 are available in the Library of the House.

British Film Industry

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the impact on the British film industry of the requirements that film production projects applying for the new tax incentives are required to meet.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	The Chancellor made a number of key announcements regarding the new film tax incentives at the pre-Budget report. Further details of the new tax incentives will be announced in due course.

Digital Broadcasting

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the expected average cost per household is of digital switchover.

James Purnell: holding answer 9 January 2006
	On 8 November 2005, Ofcom published research by the Generics Group which examined the cost and power consumption implications of digital switchover for UK households. The report estimates that the actual cost to individual households of switchover-driven non-voluntary conversion of sets and VCRs is estimated to range from £26 to £153 depending on the equipment in the home.

Licensing Hours

Susan Kramer: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pubs and clubs have sought variations in their licensing hours for televised events since the introduction of the Licensing Act 2003; and if she will make a statement.

James Purnell: Information on the number of pubs and clubs seeking variations in licensing hours for televised events is not held centrally.

Rural Tourism

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on rural tourism in East Yorkshire.

James Purnell: Rural tourism is a vital element of the English and British tourism offer, and is supported at national and regional levels. At national level, my Department funds the work of VisitBritain and the England Marketing Advisory Board in promoting rural tourism to both the domestic and international markets. VisitBritain spent £1 million in directly promoting rural areas across England in 2004–05.
	The regional development agencies have been responsible for supporting tourism at regional level since 2003. Yorkshire Forward's Economic Strategy for 2003 to 2006 includes tourism initiatives which take account of the region's rural areas. The Agency will be investing £4 million in the promotion of local tourism across the county over 2003 to 2006.
	Following publication of the Government's Rural Strategy in 2004, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs requires each English region to set out its priorities in a Regional Rural Delivery Framework, setting out its rural priorities and agreeing how public sector bodies will work together to deliver them.

Television/Radio

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many (a) television broadcast stations, (b) generic television repeater broadcast stations, (c) am radio broadcast stations, (d) am repeater radio broadcast stations, (e) fm radio broadcast stations, (f) fm repeater radio broadcast stations, (g) short wave repeater radio broadcast stations and (h) short wave radio broadcast stations are sited in (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales, (iii) each of the English regions and (iv) Northern Ireland.

James Purnell: Details on transmitters, as determined by Ofcom, are listed in the following table.
	
		
			  England Wales Scotland NI Total 
		
		
			 TV(4) 679 216 234 50 1,179 
			 FM radio 877 279 387 70 1,613 
			 AM radio 141 11 16 5 173 
			 SW radio 2 0 0 0 2 
		
	
	(4) Includes restricted service licences and non-co-sited Channel 5 transmitters.
	Note:
	Figures for England include The Channel Islands and The Isle of Man.
	We do not have a breakdown of the above figures for radio transmitters, indicating broadcast sites and repeater broadcast sites. For a breakdown of TV transmission sites across the country, I suggest visiting either the Ofcom website at: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/static/reception_advice/index.asp.html or the BBC website at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/reception/transmitters/tv_trans/index.shtml

Television/Radio

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the average number of television sets per household is.

James Purnell: According to figures from the research company GfK, there is currently an average of 2.6 TVs per home.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adult and Community Learning

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many adult and community learning enrolments there were in each year since 2001.

Phil Hope: holding answer 9 January 2006
	There were 915 thousand learners funded by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) enrolled on Adult and Community Learning (ACL) courses in 2004/05 in England; the comparable figure for 2003/04 was 923 thousand learners.
	Changes to the data collection systems, when this provision was funded through local authorities (then termed local education authorities), mean that figures for earlier years are not comparable.

Education (Milton Keynes)

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the effects of prioritising 14 to 19 education on the funding of Prince's Trust schemes in North East Milton Keynes.

Bill Rammell: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Kingston and Surbiton (Mr. Davey) on 11 January.
	As the allocation of funding in local arrears relates to the LSC's operational responsibilities, Mark Haysom the LSC's chief Executive has written to the hon. Member with the information requested for Milton Keynes and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
	Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 11 January 2005
	I write in response to your recent Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, where you asked what assessment she has made of the effects of prioritising 14 to 19 education on the funding of Prince's Trust schemes in North East Milton Keynes.
	The Learning and Skills Council provides funding for Prince's Trust activities to Milton Keynes College through two separate methods.
	Firstly, Milton Keynes College directly provides Prince's Trust provision and this is funded from the College's mainstream Further Education budget, as provided by the LSC. This funding is used for activities chiefly in Milton Keynes and Aylesbury, although we do not have a breakdown of the information into specific constituencies or wards for Milton Keynes.
	Secondly, the Learning and Skills Council in the South East has decided, on a regional basis, to continue to support Prince's Trust activity via a conduit college; in this case, Milton Keynes College. The College occupies an important place in this process and acts as the 'conduit college' to enable other non-FE providers to undertake Prince's Trust activities.
	The South East, as an LSC region, has committed to continue to fund Prince's Trust activity within the region for the coming year. This academic year (2005/06) the budget allocated for the South East region is £1.3 million.
	Milton Keynes College is the conduit college for Prince's Trust Volunteers funding within the South East region. Funding is channelled through the college out to 12 partner deliverers of Prince's Trust programmes across the 6 South East LSC areas. Target learners are 16–25 and from groups, such as disaffected, care leavers, drug abusers, ex-offenders, etc. They follow the Prince's Trust Team Programme through which they aim to achieve the customised City & Guilds Profile of Achievement. In the period August 01 to Dec 04, 1,687 learners participated in programmes in the southeast. Milton Keynes College record learners as part of the college's Individual Learner Record and Prince's Trust activity is included within the college Final Claim and Audit
	For 2004/05 the amount spent on Prince's Trust activities by the team within Milton Keynes College operating within the Milton Keynes area totalled £63,515.70. The amount projected by the College for 2005/06 is £109,112.75.
	In 2004/05 the schemes benefited 15 learners under the age of nineteen and 10 learners over the age of nineteen.
	In 2005/06, it is anticipated that the schemes will benefit 18 under nineteen-year-olds and .18 learners over the age of nineteen.
	From these figures there would not appear to be an adverse impact on the learner numbers for either age group.
	I trust this is helpful.

Education Funding

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the percentage change in funding to (a) schools, (b) further education colleges and (c) universities has been since 1997; and what the change in (i) the numbers of students and (ii) academic results was over that period.

Bill Rammell: School funding (including school sixth forms) has increased by 62 per cent. in real terms from £24.2 billion in 1997–98 to £39.2 billion in 2005–06.
	Since 1997 Government funding for further education colleges has increased by around £2.5 billion—equivalent to around 48 per cent. in real terms.
	We do not hold detailed figures for universities. However, funding for Higher Education as a whole rose from £7.2 billion in 1997–98 to a planned level of £7.8 billion in 2005–06, a real terms increase of 11 per cent.
	The number of Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) pupils in maintained schools was 7,506,910 in January 2005. This is 67,150 higher than in 1997.
	16–18 full time numbers in Further Education have increased by over 59,000 to 557,000 between 1997/98 and 2004/05. Total Higher Education students in England rose from 1,465,800 to 1,755,400.
	The number of pupils achieving 5 or more A*—C grades at GCSE and equivalent nationally has risen from 45.1 per cent. in 1997 to 55.7 per cent. (provisional) in 2005. The percentage of 11-year-olds achieving the target level for their age (level 4) has increased from 63 per cent. in 1997 to 79 per cent. in 2005 in English and from 62 per cent. to 79 per cent. in mathematics.
	Further Education has seen an increase in average student success rates from 53 per cent. to 72 per cent. between 1997/98 and 2004/05. Over the same period, the proportion of newly qualified graduates who obtained a first or upper second class degree rose from 50 per cent. to 55 per cent.

Higher Education

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many students are in higher education in 2005/06.

Bill Rammell: The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) collects data annually in the Higher Education Students Early Statistics survey (HESES) which gives a first indication of student numbers each year. The data for 2005–06 has been collected from institutions by HEFCE but has not been fully validated. We would expect to have the final data, verified by institutions, by end January.
	For the academic year 2004/05, the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record shows that there were 2,157,155 students enrolled on HE courses at UK HE institutions. 1
	1 Figures are on a DfES whole year count basis and exclude the University of Buckingham, a private institution who returned data to HESA for the first time in 2004/05.

Higher Education

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many United Kingdom nationals entered higher education at institutions based in England in the last five years; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The available information is given in the table.
	
		Full time undergraduate entrants to English HE institutions who are UK Nationals(5), 2000/01 to 2004/05
		
			  2000/01 2001/02 2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 
		
		
			 Total entrants 302,655 318,335 335,475 342,230 346,225 
			 Total entrants (of known nationality) 215,210 213,140 301,785 312,895 320,185 
			 Percentage of whose nationality is not known(6) 29 33 10 9 8 
			 Total, of knowns, who are UK nationals 183,130 179,770 248,050 255,625 258,745 
			 Percentage of knowns, who are UK nationals 85 84 82 82 81 
		
	
	(5) Information on nationality is not compulsory on the HESA dataset. Coverage is better for full time students.
	(6) Not known includes those recorded as missing or not known.
	Note:
	Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5 and are on a DfES whole year count basis.
	Source:
	Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record

Prince's Trust

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the effects of prioritising 14 to 19 education on the funding of Prince's Trust schemes in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) London.;
	(2)  what recent representations she has received on the funding of Prince's Trust schemes by Learning and Skills Councils; and if she will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We recognise the work of the Prince's Trust, particularly through their team programme, in helping hard to reach young people back into learning. We acknowledge that the Trust have had some difficulties getting funding to support this programme. However, the LSC has indicated that more than £11 million will be available to support the programme in 2005/06. The LSC has set up a taskforce to allow the Prince's Trust to continue to deliver this programme. The taskforce will be looking at how the programme can be nationally accredited as well as the future planning, quality and funding arrangements to ensure sustainability. I have already met with the Prince's Trust to discuss these issues and will be meeting with them and the LSC to discuss progress shortly. We have not had any representations from Learning and Skills Councils regarding this. As the allocation of funding in local areas relates to the LSC's operational responsibilities, Mark Haysom the LSC's Chief Executive has written to the hon. Member with the information requested for Greater Manchester and London. A copy of his reply has been placed in the House Library.
	Letter from Mark Haysom, dated 19 December 2005
	I write in response to your recent Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Education and Skills.
	Firstly, you asked what representations she has received on the funding of Prince's Trust schemes by Learning and Skills Councils (LSC). The LSC has been working with the Trust for many years, supporting and funding the Team Programme through our local offices and colleges. As you may be aware, the LSC's funding priorities are decided at regional and local level, and the total amount of funding for the Team Programme therefore varies from region to region. The discussions between the LSC and our providers and the Prince's Trust are currently ongoing, with support already identified and finalised for this funding year in the majority of LSC regions. Across the LSC our funding support for this academic year will total approximately £11 million, which I hope demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the Team Programme.
	We are working closely with The Prince's Trust to establish the contribution of the programme towards LSC priorities and to identify additional sources of funding, outside of the LSC. We have also created a task force between the LSC and the Prince's Trust who are working together to establish how our joint planning cycles can support this aim. Our shared ambition is for a secure future for the Team Programme that is not dependent on a single LSC funding source.
	In your further question to the Secretary of State you asked what assessment she has made of the effects of prioritising 14 to 19 education on the funding of Prince's Trust schemes in Greater Manchester. LSC Funding is currently channelled through a lead college out to other partners delivering Prince's Trust programmes across the LSC areas in the region. Each learner joins the Prince's Trust Team Programme through which they aim to achieve the customised City & Guilds Profile of Achievement.
	The LSC in Greater Manchester currently spends approximately £265m on provision for young people, much of which supports learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. Our commitment to this group of learners remains a key priority for the LSC both locally and nationally. The Prince's Trust provision is one of the many routes we are supporting for young people, and the LSC has to make some difficult funding decisions this year in order to balance a range of priorities for the area. This has therefore affected the level of funding support available to the Prince's Trust provision.
	However, the funding earmarked for Prince's Trust in Greater Manchester for this year will total at least £750,000, a considerable investment in the Team Programme. I understand my colleagues in the local office are working with key partners and providers to identify potential further funding to support this provision. We are also working closely with the Prince's Trust locally and nationally to ensure that we plan together effectively to meet our shared priorities.
	Trust this is helpful.

University Students

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of students at university in England came from countries outside the European Union in each of the last 10 years.

Bill Rammell: The latest available information is given in the table.
	
		Proportion of enrolments at English HE institutions by non-EU overseas domiciles(7)
		
			 Academic year Percentage 
		
		
			 1995/96 6.1 
			 1996/97 6.0 
			 1997/98 6.3 
			 1998/99 6.2 
			 1999/2000 6.5 
			 2000/01 6.9 
			 2001/02 7.4 
			 2002/03 8.5 
			 2003/04 9.2 
			 2004/05 (including the 10 EU accession countries) 9.6 
			   
			 2004/05 (excluding the 10 EU accession countries) 9.1 
		
	
	(7) For 2003/04 and earlier, the 10 EU accession countries are included as non-EU overseas domiciles. For 2004/05 they are classed as EU domiciles. To allow comparisons, proportions for 2004/05 have been given both including and excluding these students.
	Note:
	Percentages are based upon figures calculated on a snapshot basis as at the 1 December to maintain a consistent time series across all years.
	Source:
	Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record.

DEFENCE

Anthrax Vaccinations

Andrew Robathan: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many anthrax vaccinations are held by his Department; how much those anthrax vaccinations cost; what the stated shelf-life is of such vaccinations; what assessment has been made by his Department of whether the vaccinations remain viable throughout their stated shelf-life; which company provides these vaccinations; and if he will make a statement.

Don Touhig: holding answer 24 November 2005
	The Health Protection Agency (previously titled the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research), currently manufactures and supplies the Ministry of Defence (MOD) with Anthrax vaccine. Stability trials are the responsibility of the Department of Health (as the licence holder) and the manufacturer. These are performed in compliance with current regulatory requirements. The licensed shelf-life has recently been extended by the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency from two to three years. The MOD holds sufficient doses of Anthrax vaccine to meet its projected requirements; the precise numbers held cannot be released as this would be prejudicial to defence activities. The total spend last year was £4.2 million.

Chemical Defence Establishment

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 19 December 2005, Official Report, column 2347W, if on the occasion of their visits in January and March 1992 the Ministry of Defence employees met Walter Basson.

Adam Ingram: I presume that as with previous questions my hon. Friend has asked, this question refers to Dr. Walter Basson. During their passage through South Africa in January and March 1992 the Ministry of Defence employees, from what was then the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down were not knowingly introduced to anyone named Walter Basson.

Departmental Jobs (Regional Distribution)

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of jobs in (a) his Department, (b) each arm of the armed forces including support staff and (c) each (i) non-departmental public body, (ii) executive agency and (iii) other public body for which his Department is responsible, statutory bodies, organisations and bodies financially sponsored by his Department are located in (A) Scotland, (B) England, excluding Greater London, (C) Greater London, (D) Wales, (E) Northern Ireland and (F) overseas.

Don Touhig: Available information is given in the following tables:
	
		UK regular service personnel by service and United Kingdom country, London and overseas, at 1 October 2005
		
			 Service Total England (excluding London) London Wales Scotland Northern Ireland Centrally administered Overseas Unknown 
		
		
			 Royal navy 32,050 27,380 480 40 2,950 20 230 930 20 
			 Royal marines 7,370 5,960 70 0 1,170 10 20 140 10 
			 Army 108,210 67,140 4,930 1,540 2,770 5,600 1,030 25,190 20 
			 RAF 50,010 37,580 1,530 1,200 6,040 970 180 2,480 40 
			 Total 197,640 138,120 7,010 2,770 12,920 6,590 1,470 28,740 90 
		
	
	Source:
	DASA (Tri Service)
	
		Percentage
		
			 Service England (excluding London) London Wales Scotland Northern Ireland Centrally administered Overseas Unknown 
		
		
			 Royal Navy 85.4 1.5 0.1 9.2 0.1 0.7 2.9 0.1 
			 Royal Marines 80.9 0.9 0.0 15.9 0.1 0.3 1.9 0.1 
			 Army 62.0 4.6 1.4 2.6 5.2 1.0 23.3 0.0 
			 RAF 75.1 3.1 2.4 12.1 1.9 0.4 5.0 0.1 
			 Total 69.9 3.5 1.4 6.5 3.3 0.7 14.5 0.0 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Due to the rounding methods used, figures may not always equal the sum of the parts. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.
	2. The detailed figures above have been compiled from unit statistics related to unit postcodes. For some units postcode information is either unavailable or inappropriate.
	3. Figures are for UK regular forces, both trained and untrained, located in the UK and overseas. They therefore exclude Gurkhas, full time reserve service personnel, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised reservists. Location statistics are not available for FTRS, the Home Service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and Mobilised Reservists.
	Source:
	DASA (Tri-Service)
	
		Civilian personnel(8) in UK defence agencies and MOD-owned trading funds by country, at 1 October 2005
		
			 Number : FTE 
			  Total England (excluding London) London Wales Scotland N. Ireland Overseas Unknown 
		
		
			 Total agencies and trading funds agencies 44,690 34,430 2,520 2,560 3,120 370 1,440 260 
			  
			 Armed forces personnel administration agency 210 170 — — 30 — (9)— — 
			 Army training and recruitment agency 3,940 3,670 40 140 60 10 (9)— (9)— 
			 British forces post office 300 70 220 — 10 — (9)— (9)— 
			 Defence analytical services agency 200 130 70 — — — — — 
			 Defence bills agency 570 560 — — — — — 10 
			 Defence communications service agency 3,590 2,990 320 20 110 10 130 20 
			  
			 Defence estates 2,830 1,960 190 40 210 290 130 10 
			 Defence medical and education training agency 600 500 90 — — — — (9)— 
			 Defence procurement agency 3,960 3,590 90 10 110 10 120 20 
			  
			 Defence storage and distribution agency 4,270 3,370 (9)— 210 660 — 10 10 
			 Defence transport and movements agency 340 260 60 — 20 — (9)— (9)— 
			 Defence vetting agency 320 310 (9)— — — — — — 
			  
			 Disposal services agency 100 40 60 — (9)— — — — 
			 Duke of York's Royal Military School 120 120 — — — — — — 
			 Ministry of defence police and guarding agency 7,510 5,300 670 200 1,330 (9)— (9)— (9)— 
			  
			 Naval recruiting and training agency 770 650 10 80 10 20 (9)— (9)— 
			 Pay and personnel agency 800 800 (9)— — — — (9)— (9)— 
			 RAF training group defence agency 2,130 1,960 20 100 50 (9)— (9)— (9)— 
			  
			 Service children's education 1,000 10 — — — — 990 (9)— 
			 Veterans' agency 790 750 10 10 10 10 (9)— — 
			  
			 Trading funds 
			 Army base repair organisation 1,600 1,500 — 10 90 — — — 
			 Defence aviation repair agency 2,840 830 — 1,710 280 — — 20 
			 Defence science and technology laboratories 3,220 2,420 640 — — — (9)— 150 
			 Meteorological office 1,740 1,520 20 30 120 20 30 (9)— 
			 UK hydrographic office 950 950 — — (9)— — — — 
			  
			 MOD total excluding agencies and trading funds 43,800 29,640 4,520 770 3,900 3,020 1,040 830 
			  
			 Locally engaged civilian staff 15,410 (10)— (10)— (10)— (10)— (10)— (10)— (10)— 
			 Royal fleet auxiliary (RFA) staff 2,370 (10)— (10)— (10)— (10)— (10)— (10)— (10)— 
			  
			 Civilian level 0 total 106,270 (10)— (10)— (10)— (10)— (10)— (10)— (10)— 
		
	
	(8) This table uses the revised definition of civilian personnel (see www.dasa.mod.uk).
	(9) Denotes less than 5.
	(10) Denotes unavailable.
	Note:
	Data are drawn from personnel records and the Resource Accounting and Budgeting System.
	Source:
	DASA (Civilian)
	
		Civilian personnel(11) in UK defence agencies and MOD-owned trading funds by country, at 1 October 2005
		
			 Percentage 
			  England (excluding London) London Wales Scotland N. Ireland Overseas Unknown 
		
		
			 Total agencies and trading funds agencies
			 Armed forces personnel administration agency 84 — — 15 — (12)— — 
			 Army training and recruitment agency 93 1 3 2 (12)— (12)— (12)— 
			 British forces post office 24 73 — 3 — (12)— (12)— 
			 
			 Defence analytical services agency 65 35 — — — — — 
			 Defence bills agency 98 — — — — — 2 
			 Defence communications service agency 83 9 1 3 0 4 1 
			 
			 Defence estates 69 7 1 7 10 5 0 
			 Defence medical and education training agency 84 16 — — — — 0 
			 Defence procurement agency 91 2 (12)— 3 0 3 1 
			 
			 Defence storage and distribution agency 79 (12)— 5 16 — (12)— (12)— 
			 Defence transport and movements agency 77 17 — 6 — (12)— (12)— 
			 Defence vetting agency 100 (12)— — — — — — 
			 
			 Disposal services agency 35 61 — 4 — — — 
			 Duke of York's Royal Military School 100 — — — — — — 
			 Ministry of Defence police and guarding agency 71 9 3 18 (12)— (12)— (12)— 
			 
			 Naval recruiting and training agency 85 1 10 2 2 (12)— (12)— 
			 Pay and personnel agency 100 (12)— — — — (12)— (12)— 
			 RAF training group defence agency 92 1 5 2 0 (12)— (12)— 
			 Service children's education veterans' agency 1 — — — — 99 (12)— 
			 
			 Trading funds
			 Army base repair organisation 94 — 1 6 — — — 
			  
			 Defence aviation repair agency 29 — 60 10 — — 1 
			 Defence science and technology laboratories 75 20 — — — (12)— 5 
			 Meteorological office 87 1 2 7 1 2 (12)— 
			 UK hydrographic office 100 — — — — — — 
			 MOD total excluding agencies and trading funds 68 11 2 9 7 2 2 
			 
			 Locally engaged civilian staff (13)— (13)— (13)— (13)— (13)— (13)— (13)— 
			 Royal fleet auxiliary (RFA) staff (13)— (13)— (13)— (13)— (13)— (13)— (13)— 
			 
			 Civilian level 0 total (13)— (13)— (13)— (13)— (13)— (13)— (13)— 
		
	
	(11) This table uses the revised definition of civilian personnel (see www.dasa.mod.uk).
	(12) Denotes less than 5.
	(13) Denotes unavailable.
	Note:
	Data are drawn from personnel records and the Resource Accounting and Budgeting System.
	Source:
	DASA(Civilian)
	
		Civilian personnel in non departmental public bodies (NDPB) by country, at 1 April 2005
		
			 Number: headcount 
			   England (excluding London) London
			  Total Total Percentage Total Percentage Wales Scotland N. Ireland Overseas Unknown 
		
		
			 Total Non Departmental Public  Bodies 400 200 50 200 50 — — — — — 
			
			 National army museum 90 (14)— 5 80 95 — — — — — 
			 RAF museum 170 50 29 120 71 — — — — — 
			 Royal naval museum 30 30 100 — — — — — — — 
			 Royal navy submarine museum 20 20 100 — — — — — — — 
			 Royal marines museum 30 30 100 — — — — — — — 
			 Fleet air arm museum 60 60 100 — — — — — — — 
		
	
	(14) Denotes less than 5
	Notes:
	1. This table uses data from the Cabinet Office Public Bodies website and includes full and part-time staff.
	2. The figures in this table are rounded separately so the rounded totals may not be the sum of the rounded values.

Departmental Jobs (Regional Distribution)

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will indicate, including a breakdown for the English regions, and by arm of armed service, how many of those in the armed services (a) based and (b) stationed in each English region are deployed elsewhere on (i) active duty and (ii) training, broken down by service; and where they are deployed in each case.

Adam Ingram: Location statistics may be compiled based on posted location or deployed location. Posted location is where an individual is permanently based. Deployed location is where an individual is physically located at a particular point in time and is typically used for short tours of duty.
	Available information on the posted location of service personnel is shown in the table:
	
		UK regular forces posted in United Kingdom, by Government office region: at 1 October 2005
		
			  Service 
			 England Royal Navy Royal Marines Army RAF Total 
		
		
			 North East 20 20 740 790 1,560 
			 North West 30 20 1,190 220 1,470 
			 East Midlands 300 — 1,530 7,310 9,140 
			 West Midlands 200 10 3,760 2,460 6,420 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 20 100 11,350 2,070 13,540 
			 East of England 780 70 8,700 9,220 18,760 
			 London 480 70 4,930 1,530 7,010 
			 South East 12,520 470 23,550 10,100 46,640 
			 South West 13,520 5,270 16,320 5,400 40,510 
			 Wales 40 — 1,540 1,200 2,770 
			 Scotland 2,950 1,170 2,770 6,040 12,920 
			 Northern Ireland 20 10 5,600 970 6,590 
			 Grand total 30,870 7,200 81,990 47,350 167,410 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Due to the rounding methods used, figures may not always equal the sum of the parts. When rounding to the nearest 10, numbers ending in 5 have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias.
	2. The detailed figures above have been compiled from unit statistics related to unit postcodes. For some units postcode information is either unavailable or inappropriate.
	3. Figures are for UK regular forces, both trained and untrained, located in the UK. They therefore exclude Gurkhas, full-time reserve service personnel, the home service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised reservists. Location statistics are not available for FTRS, the home service battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment and mobilised reservists.
	4. Figures do not include 90 personnel who have no location indicator, or 1,470 who are centrally administered.
	Source:
	DASA (Tri Service)
	Deployment information for service personnel posted to specific regions is not held centrally.
	The strength by posted location for UK regular armed forces is published quarterly in Tri-Service Publication (TSP) 10, copies of which are held in the House of Commons Library.

Far Eastern Civiliam Prisoners of War Compensation Scheme

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that the review of the far eastern civilian prisoners of war compensation scheme announced on 12 December considers whether the bloodlink criterion amounts to racial discrimination.

Don Touhig: The birthlink" criterion is used to determine eligibility for the civilian element of the ex-gratia payment scheme for former far east prisoners of war and civilian internees; it is based on the place of birth (in the UK) of the individual or one of his or her parents or grandparents and not on a specific racial or bloodlink" criterion. The question of whether use of this criterion resulted in racial discrimination is currently the subject of appeals by both the Secretary of State and the claimant (Mrs. D Elias) against a High Court decision on a case brought by a former civilian internee. The outcome of the legal proceedings will determine whether use of the criterion amounts to racial discrimination. The review that I outlined in my statement on 12 December 2005, Official Report, column 1119, will examine whether consistent eligibility criteria were used to determine eligibility for civilian internees; it will not address whether the scheme was discriminatory. The Department has accepted, however, that it should have reviewed the operation of the scheme under the terms of section 71 (1) of the Race Relations Act 1976; we are currently considering the appropriate timescale for undertaking this review but do not consider that it could sensibly be completed until the legal proceedings referred to above have been completed.

Helicopters

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) Merlin, (b) Lynx and (c) Sea King helicopters operated by the Royal Navy are held in attrition reserve; and for what reasons they are held.

Adam Ingram: Attrition reserve aircraft are held to allow the required fleet size to be maintained throughout the service-life of the platform. This policy is designed to avoid the prohibitive costs that would be incurred if orders for single aircraft were to be made after the main production run was complete. Once a platform enters Service, fleet sizes may be changed and thus the numbers of aircraft classified as attrition reserve" may also change.
	There are currently five Merlin, one Sea King and no Lynx helicopters held in attrition reserve. In addition to the one Sea King representing attrition reserve, there are 34 aircraft in storage which are provisionally allotted for disposal. Until the disposal point is reached these are also available for recovery if required.

Joint Strike Fighter

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the contract for the F35 joint strike fighter includes all the accompanying software, with particular reference to faults analysis software.

Adam Ingram: The United Kingdom is a level 1 partner in the F35 Joint Strike Fighter programme and UK requirements are embedded in the contract. This includes all the software required to operate and maintain the aircraft, perform diagnostics and analyse faults.

Military Establishments (Incidents)

Joan Humble: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he has taken to ensure that guidance on police primacy in investigating serious incidents at military establishments is circulated outside the police community.

Adam Ingram: Guidance on 'The Reporting and Investigation of Crime and Other Disciplinary Offences in the Ministry of Defence, Armed Forces and Defence Estates in the United Kingdom' is contained within Defence Council Instruction (DCI) General 117/03.
	The DCI, which is widely available in the MOD outside the police community, gives comprehensive and clear guidance to Commanding Officers/Heads of Establishment, the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP), the Service Police and others on police primacy and jurisdiction of all offences committed on and off military establishments.
	The MDP also has a Protocol with the Home Department Police Forces (HDPF) which covers, among other things, primacy of investigations. This protocol is currently being renegotiated to include the Service Police.
	These documents have been supplemented by a further protocol between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and the Association of Chief Police Officers, which reinforces the fact that primacy for investigating all deaths (and serious injury likely to prove fatal) of any person occurring on or in military establishments in the UK rest with the Chief Officer of the HDPF under whose jurisdiction the incident occurs.
	Guidance has also been drafted which provides advice to non-police Service personnel regarding the action to be taken on discovering a serious incident. This guidance provides specific advice regarding crime-scene preservation and the reporting of incidents to the relevant police agencies that have primacy for dealing with the matter. This advice is currently in the final stages of the staffing process and will be disseminated widely in the very near future.

Ministerial Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent in each year from 1 May 1997 on ministerial travel, broken down by (a) provision and running costs of vehicular transport, (b) first class travel by rail, (c) standard class travel by rail, (d) first class travel by air, (e) club or equivalent class travel by air and (f) economy class travel by air.

Don Touhig: All ministerial travel is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
	Within the Ministry of Defence, the ministerial car for the Secretary of State is provided by the Government Car and Despatch Service and all other ministerial cars are provided internally.
	For Ministerial cars provided by the Government Car and Despatch Service, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office (Mr. Murphy) has asked Roy Burke, Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) to write to the hon. Member with details of the costs of ministerial vehicles provided to Departments in 2004–05. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.
	For information for the financial years 2000–01 to 2003–04, I refer the hon. Member to the letters from the chief executive of the GCDA to the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow) of 10 January 2005 and to the then hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs (Howard Flight) of 13 September 2003. Copies of these letters are available in the Library of the House.
	For ministerial cars provided internally by the Ministry of Defence, the aggregate direct costs for each year since 1997 are as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1997–98 135,000 
			 1998–99 138,000 
			 1999–2000 138,000 
			 2000–01 138,000 
			 2001–02 144,000 
			 2002–03 146,000 
			 2003–04 142,000 
			 2004–05 142,000 
		
	
	It should be noted that the costs relate to the total expenditure incurred for each vehicle and include some costs incurred while supporting departmental staff other than Ministers. It is not practicable to break out the details, and they could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	For overseas travel by Ministers, since 1999 the Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas, costing £500 or more during each financial year, undertaken by Cabinet Ministers. The Government have also published annually the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Library of the House. These report information for the financial years 1995–96 to 2004–05. Information for 2005–06 will be published as soon as it is ready after the end of the current financial year.
	Information about other ministerial travel is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Troop Deployments

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK troops he expects to be based in Northern Ireland at the end of 2006.

Adam Ingram: As at the 30 November 2005 there were some 9,500 armed forces personnel (Navy, Army and RAF) stationed in Northern Ireland. I expect this number to reduce during 2006 as the armed forces move towards the permanent military garrison of no more than 5,000 by 1 August 2007, envisaged in the revised Annex to the Joint Declaration published by the Government last year. A structured plan for the reduction will be published by 31 March 2006.

RAF Aircraft

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the original in-service date was of (a) the Eurofighter Typhoon, (b) the Joint Strike Fighter and (c) the Nimrod MRA4; and what the current estimated in-service date is.

Adam Ingram: The original estimated in-service date and the current estimated in-service date (MPR 2005) are:
	
		
			  Original estimated in-service date Current estimated in-service date 
		
		
			 Nimrod MRA4 December 2000 The in-service date for this project will not be set until the Main Gate approval for Production. 
			
			 Eurofighter Typhoon December 1998 June 2003 (achieved) 
			 Joint Strike Fighter December 20 12 (planning assumption only) The in-service date for this project will not be set until the Main Gate approval for Production.

RAF Aircraft

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the original cost was of the (a) Nimrod MRA4, (b) Eurofighter Typhoon and (c) Joint Strike Fighter; and what the current estimated cost is in each case.

Adam Ingram: The original cost and the current estimated cost (MPR 2005) are:
	
		£ billion
		
			  Original cost Current estimated cost 
		
		
			 Nimrod MRA4 2.8 3.8 
			 Eurofighter Typhoon 16.7 — 
			 Joint Strike Fighter (demonstration phase only) 2.2 1.9 
		
	
	The current estimated cost of Typhoon is not included as it is commercially sensitive.

Service Quarters

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many married quarters are available to each of the armed forces in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) each of the English regions and (d) Northern Ireland, broken down by location; how many are occupied by families; how many are subject to demolition; how many are to be disposed of on the private market; how many have been disposed of on the private market in each year since 7 May 1997; what the sale price for each was (i) at the time of sale and (ii) at current prices; and whether the money accrued was (A) retained by his Department and (B) claimed by the Treasury.

Don Touhig: As at December 2005 the number of available service families accommodation (SFA) in Great Britain was some 52,000. These are allocated on a tri-service basis and not by single service arrangements. The following self explanatory table provides as much of the information requested as is available.
	The majority of the SFA in England and Wales was sold to Annington Homes
	Ltd. (AHL) under the terms of the November 1996 sale agreement and are leased back from AHL, for use by the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Properties owned by AHL, for which the Department has no long-term service requirement, are released to AHL who then make a commercial judgment (in which the Department has no involvement) as to the disposal route. Housing stock for Scotland and Northern Ireland remains in MOD ownership.
	The number of SFA disposed of on the private market in each year since 7 May 1997 is not held centrally and to collate such detail would incur disproportionate cost. The sale price for individual houses, or groups of houses remains commercially confidential.
	Since May 1997, around 13,000 properties have been released back to AHL. A profit share agreement is currently in place as part of the AHL sale agreement, which allows Government participation in any profit AHL may make over certain agreed levels. Since 1996, £126 million has been paid to HM Treasury under this arrangement.
	In terms of the disposal of properties remaining in MOD ownership this often forms part of larger disposals and it is thus not possible to identify separately the sums received for individual properties.
	
		
			 Areas of service housing Counties covered Available stock Number occupied by service families Properties identified for possible demolition Being considered for future disposal on the open market For return, or possible future return to Anningtons 
		
		
			 Scotland All of Scotland 3,795 2,859 0 282 (15)— 
			 West (includes Wales) Glos, Midlands, West of England, and Wales 4,073 3,105 0 11 300 
			 Anglia Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambs, Beds. 5,703 4,510 1 0 788 
			 Central Bucks, Berks, Oxon, and parts of Wilts 5,635 4,703 0 26 59 
			 London Within the M25, including part of Berks and part of Surrey 3,659 2,838 0 5 223 
			 North Lincs, Yorks, East and NW of England 7,159 5,773 8 25 161 
			 South Hants, Surrey, Wilts, and parts of Berks 9,545 7,851 0 0 58 
			 South East Sussex, Kent, parts of Hants and Dorset 4,417 3,536 0 56 129 
			 South West Devon, Cornwall, Dorset including parts of Wilts 5,121 4,493 0 0 82 
			 Northern Ireland(16) Numerous sites 2,828 2,108 0 383 0 
		
	
	(15) Not applicable in Scotland.
	(16) 90 houses at Ballykelly have recently been disposed of by auction.

CABINET OFFICE

Government Car and Despatch Agency

Oliver Heald: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what the running costs of the Government Car and Despatch Agency were in each of the past five years.

Jim Murphy: The responsibility for the provision of ministerial cars and drivers has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car Despatch Agency. I have asked its chief executive Mr. Roy Burke to write to the hon. Member. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library.

Press Complaints Commission

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the occasions since 1997 when the Government has referred a matter to the Press Complaints Commission.

Jim Murphy: This is a matter for individual departments. The information requested is not held centrally.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

African Union Summit

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the African Union (AU) regarding cancellation of the extraordinary summit of the AU scheduled for January 2006 in Khartoum.

Ian Pearson: My noble Lord the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister for Africa, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, is in regular contact with the African Union (AU) about a wide range of issues, and most recently met with senior AU officials during a visit to Addis Ababa on 17 December. It is for the AU to decide whether and where to hold its Assemblies of Heads of State and Government, the next ordinary session of which is scheduled for Khartoum, in late January.

British Overseas Territories

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the elected governing authorities of (a) Guernsey, (b) Jersey, (c) the Isle of Man, (d) the Falkland Islands, (e) Gibraltar, (f) Saint Helena (g) Anguilla, (h) Montserrat, (i) Bermuda, (j) the British Virgin Islands, (k) the Turks and Caicos Islands and (l) the Cayman Islands about their domestic monetary and fiscal policies since 1997.

Douglas Alexander: Guernsey, Jersey, and the Isle of Man, are dependencies of the Crown. The Department for Constitutional Affairs is the formal point of communication between the UK and the Island Authorities. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has made no representations to the Government of Guernsey, Jersey, or the Isle of Man about their domestic monetary and fiscal policies since 1997.
	Under their respective constitutions, the United Kingdom has for the most part devolved responsibility for domestic monetary and fiscal policies to the Overseas Territories (OT) Governments of Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Saint Helena, Anguilla, Montserrat, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and the Cayman Islands. Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers and officials are in frequent and regular dialogue with OT Government Ministers and officials on a broad range of issues, including matters related to monetary and fiscal policy. However, in the case of Gibraltar, some parts of the EC Treaty apply to Gibraltar by virtue of Article 299(4) of that Treaty, and therefore the Government of Gibraltar (GoG) has an obligation to transpose EU legislation in domestic law including in financial areas, where appropriate. The Government liases with GoG to help them undertake this transposition. But policy remains in the hands of GoG.

British Overseas Territories

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what powers of representation in international bodies he has in relation to the domestic monetary and fiscal policies of (a) Guernsey, (b) Jersey, (c) the Isle of Man, (d) the Falkland Islands, (e) Gibraltar, (f) Saint Helena (g) Anguilla, (h) Montserrat, (i) Bermuda, (j) the British Virgin Islands, (k) the Turks and Caicos Islands and (l) the Cayman Islands.

Douglas Alexander: Under their respective constitutions, the Governments of the Crown Dependencies (CDs) have competence for domestic monetary and fiscal policies, as do, for the most part, the Governments of the Overseas Territories (OTs). However, the UK is responsible for the international relations of the CDs and the OTs. As far as possible, we encourage OT and CD Governments to participate as part of the UK delegation at relevant international meetings. Where appropriate, OTs and CDs may attend international meetings in their own right. The OTs and CDs are not members of the World Bank or the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as they are not independent countries, and so do not attend World Bank or IMF meetings. In the case of Gibraltar, which is a part of the European Community, it is the responsibility of the UK to represent Gibraltar's interests there.

Departmental Advice

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent advice he has received from Mockbul Ali, departmental Islamic issues adviser, on (a) the Muslim Brotherhood and (b) Jamaal-e-Islami; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Islamic issues adviser is a position based in the FCO's Engaging with the Islamic World Group and contributes to the work of that group accordingly. With respect to advice given by the group, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs (Paul Goggins) on 20 December 2005, Official Report, column 2654W.

Egypt

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the government of Egypt on the use of torture of prisoners.

Kim Howells: We regularly discuss human rights issues with the Egyptian government, most recently on 22 December. The last time the issue of torture was specifically raised was in April 2005.

Eritrea

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government have made direct representation to the Eritrean President, Isaias Afewerki, concerning the the decision to expel UN peacekeepers.

Ian Pearson: We have not talked to the President of Eritrea directly. However, my noble Friend the Minister for Africa, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, summoned the Eritrean ambassador on 9 December to make clear the EU's concern about Eritrea's decision to expel monitors of certain nationalities serving with the UN Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea. We also supported a UN Security Council Presidential Statement, which declared that the Eritrean action was unacceptable and demanded its immediate and unequivocal reversal without preconditions. To date, the President of Eritrea, Isaias Afewerki, has declined to meet representatives of the international community including the UK to discuss this issue.

Ethiopia

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will condemn the ongoing human rights violations in Ethiopia; if he will take and take (a) economic and (b) diplomatic action to press the Government of Ethiopia to (i) release immediately opposition party leaders, supporters and journalists, (ii) cease the killing, arrest and intimidation of political opponents, (iii) accept an independent investigation into the June and November killings of civilians and (iv) start immediately the political process to resolve the issues regarding the May election.

Ian Pearson: We continue to monitor the human rights situation and have expressed our concerns to the Ethiopian Government. We condemned the tragic loss of life of both civilians and members of the security forces in the civil unrest of June and November. My noble Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Minister for Africa, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, raised our concerns about the current political crisis and the aftermath of the elections with Prime Minister Meles, during his visit to Ethiopia on 17 December.
	We continue to work with the Government of Ethiopia and other stakeholders for progress on human rights and governance issues. Along with our EU and US partners, we have called for the release of all political detainees, including opposition leaders and for those individuals not charged under due process to be released immediately. We have also called for full access to those detained for their families, legal counsel and representatives of the International Community of the Red Cross or other appropriate representatives of the international community.
	Prime Minister Meles has, through Parliament, established a Commission of Inquiry into the unrest. We continue to urge the Government of Ethiopia to engage in dialogue with opposition political parties and other stakeholders to resolve the crisis that followed the May 15 election.

Ethiopia

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received regarding (a) violence and (b) mass detentions in Ethiopia.

Ian Pearson: Since 1 November to date, our records show that we have received 10 written Parliamentary Questions, and 41 letters from Members of Parliament, including those from Members of the European Parliament, and 12 letters and seven emails from members of the public.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings of the (a) Joint Committee (EC-Laos), (b) MED Committee (Financial and technical cooperation between the Community and Mediterranean non-member countries) and (c) Joint Committee (EEC-Paraguay) have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: Two meetings of the MED Committee have taken place during the UK presidency, on 13 July and 14 September 2005. As EU presidency the UK presided over the meeting. The UK was represented by officials from the Department for International Development. The EC Paraguay Joint Committee met on 14 November 2005. The UK presidency was represented by the local Italian presidency. There have been no meetings of the EC Laos Joint Committee.
	The Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government), a copy of which is available at:
	http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_600629.pdf.
	Ministers from the devolved administrations have attended and do attend Councils, by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.

Far-Filastin Jail (Damascus)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the evidence of the alleged use of torture in the Far-Filastin jail in Damascus; when this assessment was last revised; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We have not made an assessment of the evidence of the alleged use of torture in the Far Filastin prison.
	We have a number of serious concerns about Syria's human rights record, in particular the continued practices of torture, arbitrary arrests, unfair trials and the detention of political prisoners which run contrary to international human rights norms. We regularly raise our concerns about Syria's human rights record, both bilaterally and through the European Union.

Guatemala

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Guatemalan counterpart about the status and treatment of Guatemalan women.

Douglas Alexander: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not recently discussed the status and treatment of Guatemalan women with his Guatemalan counter-part. However, the UK holds regular discussions on human rights, including women's rights and violence against women, with the Guatemalan authorities.
	On 7 October 2005, officials from the British embassy in Guatemala met a representative from the human rights prosecutor's office of the Guatemalan public prosecutor's office to discuss, in particular, the recent rise in violent acts against women in Guatemala. A representative from Guatemala's network for the prevention of violence against women was also present.

Interest Rates

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how often he has received representations from the elected governing authorities of (a) Guernsey, (b) Jersey, (c) the Isle of Man, (d) the Falkland Islands, (e) Gibraltar and (f) Saint Helena about interest rates set by the Bank of England since 1997.

Douglas Alexander: Guernsey, Jersey, and the Isle of Man, are dependencies of the Crown. The Department for Constitutional Affairs is the formal point of communication between the UK and the island authorities. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has received no representations from the Government of Guernsey, Jersey, or the Isle of Man about interest rates set by the Bank of England since 1997.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), as appropriate in conjunction with the Department for International Development (DflD), takes lead responsibility for the Government on issues pertaining to the UK Overseas Territories (OTs). FCO, and where appropriate DflD, Ministers and officials are in frequent and regular dialogue with OT Government Ministers and officials on a broad range of issues. We have no records of my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary receiving representations from the Government of the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, or Saint Helena about interest rates set by the Bank of England since May 1997.

Iran

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of statements by the President of Iran denying the Holocaust.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has condemned unreservedly the comments in which President Ahmadinejad denied the existence of the Holocaust. He has called the President's remarks wholly unacceptable, and said they have no place in civilised debate. President Ahmadinejad's remarks were also condemned by the United Nations Security Council and by European Union Heads of Government, with our full support.

Iran

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals the Government have put to the International Atomic Energy Agency concerning Iran's nuclear power programme; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The E3/EU and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) want Iran to take steps that will build international confidence that its nuclear programme is for solely peaceful purposes and to address in full the requests of the IAEA Board of Governors. The IAEA has not been a party to discussions between the E3/EU and Iran, which are political rather than technical in nature, but are kept fully informed of developments and proposals. We welcome the IAEA's work in monitoring Iran's implementation of its Safeguards Agreement.

Israel's Security Wall

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy is on Israel's security wall; and what assessment he has made of the effect the wall will have on (a) communities living near the wall and (b) the future for peace between Palestine and Israel.

Kim Howells: We remain very concerned with the current routing of the barrier on occupied land, which is contrary to international law and we have communicated our concerns clearly to the Israelis. We recognise Israel's right to self defence against terrorism and a barrier is a reasonable way to do this, as long as it is on or behind the Green Line and has a minimal effect on the communities living in close proximity to it.
	We believe that the full implementation of the Roadmap by both Parties is the best way to achieve peace in the region.

Mohammed Haydar Zammar

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what representations (a) he, (b) his Department and (c) other members and representatives of the UK Government have received during the UK's presidency of the EU about the (i) whereabouts and (ii) (A) the grounds for detention of and (B) conditions of detention of Mohammed Haydar Zammar; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions (a) he, (b) his Department and (c) other Members and representatives of the UK Government have had during the UK's presidency of the EU with (i) Members and representatives of the Government of Syria and (ii) Members and representatives of the Administration of the US about the (A) whereabouts and (B) (1) grounds for detention and (2) conditions of the detention of Mohammed Haydar Zammar; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: No representations have been received or discussions had by the Government or by officials during the UK's presidency of the European Union in relation to the case of Mohammed Haydar Zammer.

Small Arms

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the UK Government are taking to control the (a) proliferation and (b) misuse of small arms around the world.

Kim Howells: The UK is one of the most active participants in international efforts to combat the global proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW). We have allocated £13.25 million to a UK SALW strategy over the period 2004–07. We are also one of the largest donors supporting the UN effort to combat the proliferation of SALW. UK funding assists UN agencies, regional organisations, governments and non-governmental organisations. Since 2004 we have supported work on strengthening controls on trade in SALW; collecting, managing and destroying weapons and ammunition; reducing demand; implementing existing regional agreements; devising national action plans and helping build the capacity of local civil society.

South Africa (Biological Materials)

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the extent to which all the materials detailed in the biological materials inventory assembled by South Africa's Project Coast have been (a) recovered and secured by the South African Government and (b) destroyed in accordance with international treaty obligations; and if he will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We have no reason to doubt that relevant biological materials assembled by South Africa's Project Coast programme have been secured, recovered and destroyed as appropriate.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Sudan concerning its continuing detention of individuals arrested in the aftermath of the death of Dr. John Garang.

Ian Pearson: We have held several discussions with the Government of Sudan about the detention of individuals arrested in the civil disturbances that followed the death of First Vice President Dr. John Garang in a helicopter accident on 30 July. The UK and international partners held detailed discussions with the Sudanese Advisory Council for Human Rights on 1 December 2005 on this issue. We have consistently made clear that charges must be brought against anyone in detention swiftly, and that all detainees in Sudan be given prompt access to legal assistance. During this meeting the Advisory Council for Human Rights agreed to examine a number of individual cases, including those raised in the Khartoum Monitor on 30 November.

Sudan

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Sudan concerning its reform of its judiciary and legal systems.

Ian Pearson: The UK makes regular representations to the Government of Sudan on the need to ensure its judicial process is fair and transparent. We also regularly raise our concerns on a number of individual cases with the Government. We are pleased that, under the provisions of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the parties have committed themselves to a comprehensive review of the Sudanese judicial system, and to guaranteeing free and fair trials for all and complying fully with international human rights treaties. The UK plans to play a leading role in supporting reform of the Sudanese justice sector. As part of our £7.2 million programme in this area, we are working to provide assistance to the National Judicial Service Commission, which is tasked with monitoring this process. We are also funding programmes through the UN Development Programme and the Sudanese Organisation Against Torture to support legal aid training and to raise awareness of human rights standards.

Sudan

Robert Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the African Union force in Darfur.

Ian Pearson: The African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS) has established an increasingly effective presence in Darfur, and, in his most recent report on Darfur, the UN Secretary-General praises their 'commendable efforts'. AMIS now numbers some 6,885 personnel, including 1,300 African Union (AU) police officers. The UK and other international partners recently participated in a joint assessment mission with the AU to examine the effectiveness of the mission. The recommendations and conclusions of this report are due to be discussed by the AU at their Political and Security Council meeting on 12 January. We have made clear that we stand ready to help the AU implement the recommendations of this report and improve the effectiveness of the mission, most recently at the EU/AU Troika in Bamako on 2 December 2005, when the issue was raised by my noble Friend, Lord Triesman of Tottenham, the Minister for Africa.
	The UK has committed £19 million funding this financial year to AMIS. This brings our total contribution to AMIS, since its inception, to almost £32 million. This money is to provide equipment, including a further 460 vehicles in addition to the original 450, as well as military and civilian policing advice, expertise and training. Some of our contribution will also fund airlift of troops into Darfur, and further troop rotation this year.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the prospect of progress being made at the Abuja peace talks.

Ian Pearson: The Darfur peace talks continue in Abuja, Nigeria, between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army and the Justice and Equality Movement. The Parties are now discussing all three key issues—Power Sharing, Wealth Sharing and Security Arrangements—concurrently. Rather faster progress has been made on wealth sharing than the other two strands. The UK provides two security experts, and a negotiations expert to assist the African Union (AU) mediation. We are urging the parties to make more rapid headway and stand ready to provide further experts to assist the AU mediators. We welcome the Chairman's announcement that the talks will now sit in permanent session. We remain firmly committed to the Abuja process, and plan to maintain a UK presence throughout the talks, in support of the mediation and the parties.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what factors underlay the decision not to add to the United Nations sanctions list members of the Sudan (a) government, (b) military and (c) Janjaweed who are suspected of war crimes;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with his counterparts at the UN about implementing sanctions against those suspected to be guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur;
	(3)  what discussions he has had with members of the UN Security Council on the implementation of the recommendations of the Sanctions Committee Panel of Experts in Darfur;
	(4)  when he expects sanctions and penalties to be imposed by the UN Sanctions Committee upon those individuals listed by the Panel of Experts on Darfur; and what assessment he has made of the reasons they have not yet been imposed.

Ian Pearson: The Panel of Experts established under UN Security Council Resolution 1591 presented their report and recommendations to the Sanctions Committee on 23 December. Discussions on the Panel's recommendations, and the possible imposition of sanctions on individuals, will take place in the Sanctions Committee in the coming days. We are pressing for swift action on the Panel's recommendations. We are determined to make full use of the existing sanctions, and continue to press for the arms embargo on Darfur to be extended to the whole country.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial and technical resources have been provided by his Department to the African Union force in Darfur to strengthen its capacity to protect civilians.

Ian Pearson: The UK has committed £19 million funding this financial year to the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS). This brings our total contribution to AMIS, since its inception, to almost £32 million. This money is to provide equipment, including the purchase of a further 460 vehicles in addition to our original 450, as well as military and civilian policing advice, expertise and training. Some of our contribution will also fund airlift of troops into Darfur, and further troop rotation this year. These contributions will assist the African Union in carrying out their mandate, including contributing to a more secure environment. However the primary responsibility for the protection of its own citizens lies with the Government of Sudan.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the African Union on the (a) enforcement of its mandate to protect civilians in Darfur and (b) the protection of mass graves and other forensic evidence to support the work of the International Criminal Court.

Ian Pearson: The UK and other international partners recently participated in a joint assessment mission with the African Union (AU). This concluded that the AU Mission in Sudan's (AMIS) current mandate is adequate but is not clearly understood by commanders at all levels. We will continue to press the AU to interpret its mandate flexibly and robustly in order provide the necessary degree of protection to civilians within its capabilities.
	We have regularly raised this issue of mass graves and other forensic evidence directly with the AU. We understand they are continuing their investigations into the alleged discoveries of mass graves. We also continue to urge the AU to work with and support the International Criminal Court.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the African Union (AU) regarding the rules of engagement in Darfur in relation to the use of deadly force by AU troops.

Ian Pearson: The UK and other international partners recently participated in a joint assessment mission with the African Union. Their report concluded that the present draft Rules of Engagement are effective although they have not yet been formally approved for use.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with members of the UN Security Council regarding the renewal of the mandate of the Sanctions Committee Panel of Experts in Darfur.

Ian Pearson: The United Nations (UN) Security Council adopted Resolution 1651 on 21 December which extends the mandate of the UN Panel of Experts on Darfur until 29 March 2006.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with members of the UN Security Council bringing forward a resolution calling for the Government of Sudan to (a) suspend from duty, investigate and prosecute Government officials suspected of human rights abuses in Darfur, (b) co-operate fully with the International Criminal Court Prosecutor and (c) stop obstructing the African Union mission.

Ian Pearson: The UN Security Council has already called for the investigation and prosecution of anyone responsible for human rights abuses and on the Government of Sudan to provide full co-operation with the African Union mission in Sudan under resolutions 1556, 1564, 1574, 1591 and 1593. Resolution 1593, which referred the situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court (ICC), demands that the Government of Sudan co-operate fully with the ICC investigation.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Sudan regarding the investigation and prosecution of (a) government officials, (b) military commanders, (c) militia personnel, (d) soldiers, (e) police officers, (f) intelligence officers and (g) members of the Popular Defence Forces implicated in serious violations of human rights in Darfur.

Ian Pearson: The Government of Sudan is fully aware of our view that they must fully investigate human rights abuses throughout Sudan and bring the perpetrators to justice regardless of their position. We continue to raise this matter with them on a regular basis.
	The UK sponsored United Nations Security Council Resolution 1593 which referred the situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC has begun its independent investigation and will issue indictments in due course.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations have been made by his Department to the (a) Sudan Liberation Army and (b) Justice and Equality Movement on (i) respect for human rights, (ii) civilian freedom of movement and (iii) respect for humanitarian workers in Darfur.

Ian Pearson: We have made consistently clear to all parties to the conflict in Darfur, including the Sudan Liberation Army and Justice and Equality Movement, that we expect them to abide by their obligations to uphold human rights, provide freedom of movement for civilians and facilitate the work of humanitarian workers, in accordance with their obligations under UN Security Council Resolutions 1556, 1564, 1574 and 1591 as well as the Abuja Humanitarian and Security Protocols.
	The parties are currently discussing general principles for security arrangements, which include the need to cease all attacks and facilitate the work of the humanitarian community. The UK observer in Abuja regularly raises these issues directly with the parties and presses them to make swift progress

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with (a) the Government of Sudan, (b) the Sudan Liberation Army and (c) the Justice and Equality Movement regarding the recruitment and use of child soldiers in Darfur.

Ian Pearson: We have regularly made clear to the Government of Sudan that we expect it to uphold the commitments it has made under International Human Rights law, particularly the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and its optional Protocol on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict. The UK led an EU demarche to the Government of Sudan on Children in Armed Conflict in July 2005.
	We have also made clear to the Sudan Liberation Army and Justice and Equality Movement that the recruitment and use of child soldiers is wholly unacceptable and is in contravention of their obligations under the Abuja Security Protocol, signed on 8 November 2004, which commits both movements and the Government of Sudan to refrain from recruiting children as soldiers or combatants, and to abide by the CRC, the Optional Protocol to the CRC on the Involvement of Children in Armed Conflict and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of Children.

Sudan

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the African Union regarding strengthening the deployment of (a) military troops and (b) civilian police in Darfur.

Ian Pearson: The UK took part in an international assessment mission for the African Union Mission in Darfur in December. This has reported back to the African Union (AU) that the current size of the mission is adequate for its assigned tasks. It is for the AU to take any final decisions on force size. But we continue to offer the AU support in reinforcing the effectiveness of its mission.

Syria

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's relations with Syria.

Kim Howells: The Government have concerns about Syrian support for the insurgency in Iraq, its continued interference in Lebanon and its support for Palestinian rejectionist groups and Hizballah, which are having a destabilising effect on regional stability. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary most recently raised some of our concerns with Syrian Foreign Minister Shara'a during the Euro-Med Summit in Barcelona. We want a better relationship with Syria, but Syria needs to change its behaviour and play a constructive role in the region and on the world stage.

UK Embassies/Consulates

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any (a) embassies and (b) consulates are combined with two or more countries to provide a service for British citizens.

Kim Howells: While we share office accommodation with other countries, in no single post do we provide a combined service for British citizens.

UN Convention Against Torture

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what definition the Government use of (a) mental and (b) physical severe pain or suffering as set out in Article 1 of the UN Convention Against Torture.

Jack Straw: The international community, including the UK, has resisted formal definition of what constitutes severe physical or mental pain or suffering, as used in the UN Convention Against Torture's definition of torture. Whether any particular treatment would cause an individual severe mental or physical pain or suffering depends on the specific circumstances of a case. A definition could not be exhaustive, leaving the possibility for argument that some types of clearly torturous behaviour were not in fact forbidden as torture. Section 134 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 provides that a public official commits torture if he intentionally inflicts severe pain or suffering on another in the performance of his duties, and does not define severe pain or suffering".
	As the UN Human Rights Committee noted in 1992, with regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights: The Covenant does not contain any definition of the concepts covered by article 7 [prohibiting torture, or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment], nor does the Committee consider it necessary to draw up a list of prohibited acts to establish sharp distinctions between different kinds of punishment or treatment; the distinctions depend on the nature, purpose and severity of the treatment applied."

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Channel Islands

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether she plans to visit the Channel Islands to discuss (a) electoral and (b) legal reform.

Bridget Prentice: The Department of Constitutional Affairs is responsible for the UK's relationship with the Channel Islands and DCA Ministers visit the Islands from time to time to discuss a wide range of topics. There are no Ministerial visits planned for the immediate future.
	Channel Islands are not part of the United Kingdom. They have their own legislative assemblies, administrative, fiscal and legal systems and their own courts of law. Responsibility for electoral or legal reform is a domestic matter for them.

Solicitors (Complaints Procedures)

John Mann: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of complaints procedures in relation to solicitors for (a) those with literacy problems and (b) other vulnerable groups.

Bridget Prentice: I am satisfied that the Law Society and the Office of the Legal Services Ombudsman (OLSO) have mechanisms in place to identify and assist customers with literacy problems, and other vulnerable groups, who wish to complain about their solicitor.
	The Law Society can provide literature in different languages and in different formats, including in Braille and large print and on audiotape, and it can arrange translations and organise sign language interpreters. It can also appoint a Local Conciliation Officer where a customer requires assistance to formulate responses and encourage greater telephone communication if written communication is difficult.
	The OLSO can produce information in large print and on different coloured paper and offers a translation service. It provides a tape recorder service, has a Hearing Loop installed and the facility to use BT Type Talk. In addition, its Support Staff, who receive incoming calls, have received Mental Health Awareness training.

Solicitors (New Regulatory Body)

John Mann: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what locations she is considering for the new independent regulatory body for solicitors

Bridget Prentice: The Government published a White Paper on 17 October 2005 setting out proposals for the future of Legal Services in England and Wales.
	The Government will bring forward legislation to establish a new oversight regulator, the Legal Services Board (LSB). The location of the Legal Services Board will be determined taking into account a number of factors, including putting the needs of consumers first.

HOME DEPARTMENT

2012 Olympics

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what organisational structures are being established in order to ensure the security of the London 2012 Olympics.

Paul Goggins: The security proposals were a strong feature of the London bid. The planning, preparatory and operational arrangements will be delivered through a multi agency structure that will ensure maximum priority is accorded to all aspects of security and public safety. These arrangements will be overseen by a Cabinet-style committee chaired by the Home Secretary.

Antisocial Behaviour

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to encourage the take-up of individual support orders for young people subject to anti-social behaviour orders.

Charles Clarke: Promoting individual support orders (ISOs) and increasing their up-take forms part of our overall drive to reduce antisocial behaviour. The Home Affairs Committee's report on antisocial behaviour acknowledged the usefulness of ISOs in tackling antisocial behaviour and recommended additional Government funding to increase take-up. On 29 June the Government announced that they will make an extra £0.5 million available this financial year for ISOs. This money is ring-fenced and given to the Youth Justice Board (YJB) to allocate to youth offending teams (YOTs). The YJB are also promoting their take up with the YOTs.

Departmental Estate

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the former (a) buildings and (b) land of (i) his Department and (ii) (A) non-departmental public bodies, (B) agencies and (C) independent statutory bodies for which his Department is responsible which have been sold since 7 May 1997; what the sale price of each (1) was at the time of sale and (2) is at current prices; and whether the money accrued was (x) retained by his Department and (y) claimed by the Treasury.

Charles Clarke: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Expenditure

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many widescreen televisions have been purchased by his Department for use in London headquarters in each of the last five years; and what the cost was in each year.

Charles Clarke: No widescreen televisions were purchased in the five years leading up to the move to the new Home Office HQ at 2 Marsham street.
	Leading up to the move to 2 Marsham street in February 2005 a business case was put forward to the Director General, Resources and Performance for a series of widescreen televisions in the new building. This was signed off.
	The aim was to deliver a Home Office in-house television channel to replace posters/promotional materials etc. The business case requested 78 widescreen TVs to be ceiling and wall mounted within 2 Marsham street. No widescreen TVs were requested for other London buildings as the technology was not in place within other buildings to run this channel.
	The cost was £330,000. This budget was signed off on the clear proviso that all posters (we had over 100 poster sites in the London based Home Office buildings) were to discontinue and no more centrally produced promotional materials were to be published.
	By discontinuing posters/materials etc. we are making net savings of £139,000 (2005–06), £144,000 (2006–07), £149,000 (2007–08) and £154,000 (2008–09). The cost of procuring and delivering the widescreen TV channel would therefore be covered and breaking even by 2008.

Departmental Property

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the annual expenditure on (a) fixtures and fittings, (b) general office expenses and (c) office equipment was of (i) his Department and (ii) each (A) non-departmental public body, (B) Executive agency and (C) other public body for which his Department is responsible in each English region in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2005–06 in each case.

Charles Clarke: This information is not held centrally and could be prepared only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to relocate staff in his Department and related agencies into London and the South East.

Charles Clarke: There are no plans to relocate staff into London and the South East.

Economic Crime Units

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the economic crime unit of the Metropolitan police and the city of London police are to merge; and what their relationship is with the Serious Organised Crime Agency.

Paul Goggins: The Attorney General commissioned a national review of fraud, reporting in spring 2006. Until the findings of the review are known, it would not be appropriate to comment on potential options for change. The Serious Organised Crime Agency will commence operations in April 2006 and until then work is in hand to develop effective relationships between the agency and all police forces nationwide.

Emergency Vehicles (Speeding)

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice is given to police forces regarding prosecution of drivers of emergency vehicles breaking the speed limit.

Paul Goggins: This is an operational matter for the police. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) wrote to all forces in summer 2004 with a protocol for dealing with emergency service vehicles detected by camera when being driven in excess of the speed limit. This provided that as a rule no further action would be taken where vehicles were clearly displaying their emergency blue lights. General guidance is also given in the revised version of their Code of Practice for Operational Use of Road Policing Enforcement Technology, issued in November 2004. The code is available on the ACPO website at www.acpo.police.uk.

Parliamentary Questions

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer questions (a) 26311, (b) 26309 and (c) 26310 tabled by the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon on 3 November.

Charles Clarke: The answers to parliamentary questions number 26309, Official Report, column 39W and 26310, Official Report, columns 39–40W, were published on 28 November 2005. The answer to parliamentary question number 26311, Official Report, column 2225W, was published on 15 December 2005.

People Trafficking

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide funding for the POPPY project beyond March; and whether his Department is planning to expand support and rehabilitation provision for the victims of trafficking.

Paul Goggins: Home Office funding for the POPPY scheme since March 2003 stands at around £1.5 million. The grant funding agreement with Eaves Housing for Women, the current service provider, was due to end in September 2005 but was extended to the end of March this year to enable completion of work on the formal evaluation of the scheme and consideration of the evaluation findings, we propose to increase the geographical coverage of support services for victims and introduce support at varying levels of intensity according to individual need. We are currently running a competitive exercise to test the extent to which the current Home Office grant to Eaves Housing represents value for money, and to select a provider for support services to this group of victims from April 2006 until March 2008. Eaves Housing is amongst the organisations invited to submit a bid for Home Office funding for services for this group. The selection exercise commenced on 20 December and will conclude in mid-late February 2006 with the award of a two year grant funding agreement. Further information about the UK strategy on human trafficking, including plans for support for victims of trafficking are contained in the document Tackling Human Trafficking—Consultation on Proposals for the UK Action Plan". The consultation document can be found on the Home Office website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/about-us/haveyoursay/curren-consultations.

People Trafficking

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made of the effect of the closure of the safe house for trafficked 16 and 17 year-olds which was trialled in Sussex in April 2004; and what plans he has to provide support services to child victims of trafficking.

Paul Goggins: The provision of safe houses" for victims of trafficking is a long-standing concern of voluntary organisations and practitioners working in this field. A safe house for minors was set up by West Sussex social services in 1995 following a number of disappearances of West African girls in local authority care. Voluntary organisations welcomed the provision but unfortunately 50 percent. of the girls went missing, with fears that the safe house had been infiltrated by traffickers. West Sussex social services department took the decision to close the house and provide foster placements instead. A further safe house was set up by Integrated Care in West Sussex, but was closed shortly after it opened in early June 2005 following a lack of referrals by local authorities. It is recognised that child victims of trafficking will be in need of welfare services and protection under the provisions of Child Care Legislation.
	Local authorities have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need or at risk of harm by providing a range and level of service appropriate to each child's needs. Government funding is allocated to local authorities with Children's Services responsibilities on the basis of the needs of their populations. A supplement is paid to children's services authorities which accommodate unaccompanied asylum seeking children, some of whom may have been victims of trafficking. Home Office officials are giving further consideration to ways in which the options available to safeguard and support child victims of trafficking might be extended. This includes re-examining the potential value of providing dedicated and secure accommodation and specialist professional foster care placements.

Proceeds of Crime Act

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money seized as a result of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 was invested in (a) Hillingdon and (b) Greater London in each year of its operation; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: Information is not available in the form requested. Receipts from recovered criminal assets are allocated to a range of initiatives. The Recovered Assets Incentive Fund was set up in 2003–04 to incentivise asset recovery by asset recovery agencies. £15.5 million a year for three years was allocated to the Fund. From the Fund, four new multi-agency Regional Asset Recovery Teas (RARTs) were set up to disrupt criminal groups, confiscate more criminal assets and to tackle money laundering. The London Regional Asset Recovery Team was allocated £4.3 million over three years
	£7 million a year for three years have been made available separately for investment in community based projects in England and Wales.
	In addition a new police incentivisation scheme introduced in 2004–05 has enabled police forces in England and Wales, and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, to receive a share of the criminal assets they recover locally. Under the scheme the Metropolitan Police Service received over £4 million this financial year based on its performance in 2004–05.
	From 2006–07 a new incentive scheme will operate under which all agencies involved in asset recovery will get back 50 per cent. of the assets they recover.

Proceeds of Crime Act

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the share of income from the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 that is allocated to the police force that recovered it; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: As agreed with the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), under the police incentivisation scheme the police service receive one-third of the total assets recovered over and above £40 million in 2004–05, increasing to one half in 2005–06. The Government are spending more than the first £40 million to support existing spending commitments in the asset recovery field. It was also agreed with ACPO that incentive payments would be based on each force's annual performance in the recovery of criminal assets. There are no plans to change this agreement. However, the Home Secretary announced last November that Home Office funding of £2.6 million per year for financial investigators in police forces, which was due to end in March, would be extended for a further year. From 2006–07 a new incentive scheme will operate under which all agencies involved in asset recovery, including the police service, will get back 50 per cent. of what they recover. There are at present no plans to increase this share.

Rates

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid in rates to each relevant local authority in relation to his central headquarters function in 2004–05.

Charles Clarke: My Department paid £5.6 million to city of Westminster in respect of its central London headquarters function during financial year 2004–05. This may be adjusted downwards on completion of current negotiations to settle the rateable value of 2 Marsham street.

Regional Offices

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  which (a) non-departmental public bodies and (b) executive agencies within the remit of his Department have regional offices based on the Government Offices for the Regions' regional structure; and when the regional offices were established in each case;
	(2)  what regional (a) bodies, (b) institutions, (c) taskforces, (d) panels, (e) offices and (f) organisations have been established since May 1997 which are the responsibility of his Department.

Charles Clarke: The majority of my Department's services are arranged nationally. However, in bringing increased local focus to delivering public priorities, since 1997, my Department has established the following regional bodies: 354 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships in England and 22 Community Safety Partnerships in Wales. 49 Drug Action Teams in England were first established in 1995, but realigned with local authority boundaries in April 2002 The bodies in the following table have been closed or reclassified since 1997:
	
		
			  Name Date closed 
		
		
			 1. Holocaust Memorial Day Project Delivery Co-ordination Group. Replaced by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust" which is an independent charity under the Charity Commission. 2005 
			 2. Task Force on Child Protection on the Internet (reclassified an informal expert stakeholder group) Reclassified 2005 
			 3. Vehicle Crime Reduction Action Team Reclassified 2005 
			 4. Community Builders Group Renamed 2004 
			 5. Criminal Records Bureau—Consultative Panel (formerly Customer Forum) 2004 
			 6. Firearms Consultative Committee 2004 
			 7. Police Complaints Authority 2004 
			 8. Advisory Board of Restricted Patients 2003 
			 9. Community Capacity Building Group 2003 
			 10. Fundamental Review of the Coroners System 2003 
			 11. Group on Developing Capacity in the Voluntary and Community Sector 2003 
			 12. Ministerial Advisory Group on Retail Crime 2003 
			 13. Retail Crime Reduction Action Team (RCRAT) 2003 
			 14. Working Group on Police Performance and Best Value 2003 
			 15 Criminal Records Bureau—Ministerial Advisory Board 2002 
			 16. Property Crime Reduction Action Team 2002 
			 17. Working Group on Resourcing Community Capacity 2002 
			 18. Home Secretary's Mobile Phone Theft Group 2001 
			 19. National Crime Reduction Task Force 2001 
			 20. Working Group on Misuse of Public Office 2001 
			 21. Active Community Unit Research Forum 2000 
			 22. Interception of Communications Tribunal 2000 
			 23. Intelligence Services Tribunal 2000 
			 24. Security Service Tribunal (Items no. 22–24 were replaced by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal under S65 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000) 2000 
			 25. Metropolitan Police Committee 2000 
			 26. Review of the Law Relating to Involuntary Manslaughter 2000 
			 27. The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board 2000 
			 28. Review of the Law Relating to Criminal Memoirs 1998 
			 29. Misuse of Drugs Advisory Body 1998 
			 30. Misuse of Drugs Professional Panel 1998 
			 31. Misuse of Drugs Tribunal 1998

Rental Costs

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was paid in rent for properties used for his central headquarters function in 2004–05.

Charles Clarke: My Department paid £15.9 million in rent in respect of property used for its central London headquarters function during financial year 2004–05.

Serious Organised Crime Agency

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the nature of changes to the oath of allegiance to follow the establishment of the Serious Organised Crime Agency.

Paul Goggins: There will be no changes to the oath of allegiance following the establishment of the Serious Organised Crime Agency.

Special Advisers

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the special advisers in post in his Department, broken down by pay band; and what the total budgeted cost to his Department of special advisers is for 2005–06.

Charles Clarke: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet Office on 16 November 2005, Official Report, column 1258W.
	Information relating to costs for 2005–06 will be published after the end of the current financial year.

Special Advisers

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special advisers have been employed by the Home Office in each year since 1997; and what the average salary has been for specialist advisers in each year.

Charles Clarke: Numbers of special advisers employed by the Home Office since 1997 are listed as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1997–98 2 
			 1998–99 2 
			 1999–2000 2 
			 2000–01 4 
			 2001–02 4 
			 2002–03 4 
			 2003–04 4 
			 2004–05 3 
			 Currently 3 
		
	
	Special advisers are paid according to the relevant Cabinet Office pay scales.

Sports Grounds (Arrests)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests there were at (a) cricket grounds, (b) football grounds, (c) Rugby Union grounds, (d) Rugby League grounds, (e) horse racing tracks and (f) motor racing tracks in the last 12 months.

Paul Goggins: During the 2004–05 football season there were 3,628 football-related arrests, an 11 per cent. decrease on the previous season's total. Arrest data are not collated centrally for the other sporting events.

Traffic Offences

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) males and (b) females were convicted of motoring offences in (i) Southend, (ii) Essex and (iii) England and Wales in 2004, broken down by offence.

Paul Goggins: The information from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform is contained in the table and give the number of males and females found guilty of motoring offences by offence class in South East Essex petty sessional area (Southend), Essex police force area and England and Wales 2004.
	
		Number of offenders found guilty of motoring offences by gender and offence class at all courts in South East Essex petty sessional area, Essex police force area and England and Wales, 2004(17)
		
			  South East Essex PSA(18) Essex England and Wales 
			 Offence class Males Females Males Females Males Females 
		
		
			 Dangerous driving 11 2 98 6 5,169 191 
			 Driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs 474 78 2,266 332 76,428 10,168 
			 Careless driving 116 30 712 124 17,845 3,201 
			 Accident offences 77 23 247 56 5,246 911 
			 Driving Licence related offences 250 21 1,013 91 52,550 4,087 
			 Vehicle Insurance Offences 766 95 3,161 451 195,155 22,932 
			 Vehicle Registration and Excise Licence offences 141 25 634 137 17,708 4,495 
			 Work record or employment offences 2 — 96 4 2,267 37 
			 Operator's Licence offences 1 — 23 1 510 21 
			 Vehicle Test offences 63 16 276 52 12,988 1,495 
			 Fraud, forgery, etc. associated with vehicle or driver records 15 1 69 6 2,406 232 
			 Vehicle, or part, in dangerous or defective condition 27 4 89 13 7,061 573 
			 Speed limit offences 935 231 6,399 1,786 118,920 27,212 
			 Motorway offence (other than speeding) — — 44 6 1,253 171 
			 Neglect of traffic directions 260 96 981 414 18,838 3,964 
			 Neglect of pedestrian rights 5 2 38 8 1,916 369 
			 Obstruction, waiting and parking offences 23 7 61 26 7,638 2,144 
			 Lighting offences 14 2 38 4 2,178 215 
			 Noise offences — 1 2 1 379 24 
			 Load offences 7 — 98 — 4,686 132 
			 Offences peculiar to motor cycles 2 — 6 — 297 9 
			 Miscellaneous offences (including trailer offences) 216 63 742 248 61,295 13,063 
			 Total 3,404 697 17,093 3,766 612,731 95,647 
		
	
	(17) These data are based on the principal offence basis.
	(18) Includes Crown court where Southend was the committing court

Websites

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visits to the website www.thinkuknow.co.uk there were in each month since its inception; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Clarke: The number of visits follows. The data system 'Sitestat' has only been used since April 2003, so only data from that date are available.
	
		Total visits
		
			 Date Visits 
		
		
			 February 2003 3 
			 March 2003 2 
			 April 2003 10,122 
			 May 2003 21,073 
			 June 2003 24,923 
			 July 2003 5,637 
			 August 2003 6,351 
			 September 2003 18,675 
			 October 2003 20,481 
			 November 2003 22,501 
			 December 2003 21,310 
			 January 2004 55,743 
			 February 2004 71,223 
			 March 2004 87,126 
			 April 2004 43,535 
			 May 2004 31,933 
			 June 2004 31,537 
			 July 2004 28,645 
			 August 2004 25,256 
			 September 2004 11,364 
			 October 2004 35,618 
			 November 2004 48,802 
			 December 2004 38,885 
			 January 2005 53,089 
			 February 2005 15,771 
			 March 2005 450 
			 April 2005 367 
			 May 2005 359 
			 June 2005 307 
			 July 2005 300 
			 August 2005 298 
			 September 2005 371 
			 October 2005 402 
			 November 2005 253 
			 December 2005 55 
			 Total 732,767 
			 Maximum March 2004 87,126 
			   
			 Average 15,266 
			   
			 Total unique visitors 515,234

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Brownfield Land

Greg Clark: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what records his Department keeps of the amount ofdevelopment on different categories of brownfield land;
	(2)  what assessment his Department has made of trends in the loss of privately-owned green space as a result of new residential development.

Yvette Cooper: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) records amounts of land use change in its Land Use Change Statistics. The most recent results were published on the ODPM website in November, as 'Land Use Change in England to 2004: Additional Tables'.
	Land Use Change Statistics show the amount of land being developed according to its previous use, including previously-developed (brownfield) uses. Information on the ownership of the land is not, however, recorded so that there is no information on any loss of privately owned green space.

Council Tax Revaluation

Robert Wilson: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether council-appointed inspectors visiting private properties take photographs of the interiors for council tax revaluation purposes.

Phil Woolas: Councils do not appoint inspectors to visit properties for council tax revaluation purposes—that is a function undertaken by Valuation Office Agency staff, and I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 13 July 2005, Official Report, column 1071W. It would be extremely rare that photographs are taken inside a person's home and this would only be done with the occupier's permission.

Local Government Finance

Greg Pope: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the percentage change was in central Government funding to Rossendale borough council in each of the last five years.

Phil Woolas: The percentage change in central Government funding to Rossendale borough council in each of the last five years for which data are available is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Change in all central Government funding on previous year (percentage) Of which percentage change in formula grant (revenue support grant, police grant and redistributed business rates) 
		
		
			 2000–01 4.1 3.9 
			 2001–02 5.5 4.8 
			 2002–03 2.8 2.3 
			 2003–04 15.9 9.5 
			 2004–05 38.3 -6.7 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. These figures are as reported by Rossendale borough council on the revenue out-turn (RO) returns submitted to ODPM.
	2. Central Government funding is defined here as the sum of specific grants inside aggregate external finance (AEF) and formula grant (revenue support grant, redistributed business rates and police grant). Specific grants inside AEF are those revenue grants paid for councils' core services (such as waste collection), excluding funding for local authorities' housing management.
	3. The information provided excludes capital funding and funding for local authorities' housing management responsibilities.
	4. The information excludes those grant programmes, such as European funding, where authorities are simply one of the recipients of funding paid towards an area.
	5. Comparisons across years may not be valid because the figures shown are not adjusted for changes in local authority responsibilities.
	The increase in central Government funding in 2003–04 is in part due to housing benefit and council tax benefit administration specific grant doubling from £243,000 in 2002–03 to £493,000 in 2003–04.
	The large increase in total central Government funding 2004–05 is principally due to a £2.2 million grant for a Housing Stock Options Appraisal Project.
	The decrease in formula grant between 2003–04 and 2004–05 is due largely to the removal, with effect from 2004–05, of local authorities' responsibility for paying part of the costs of council tax benefit and housing benefit.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Asbestos Regulations

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the evidential basis is in relation to (a) risk and (b) cost of the Health and Safety Executive's recent proposals for modifying the Asbestos Regulations and revising the related code of practice.

Anne McGuire: The proposals for revised asbestos regulations and an approved code of practice take account of evidence on risk from a risk assessment, and on cost from a regulatory impact assessment. These documents are attached as annexes to the consultative document.

Benefit Claimants Living Overseas

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what reports he has received concerning benefit fraud by British citizens resident in Thailand; what steps he has taken to investigate them; and if he will make a statement on his policy on investigating allegations in newspapers.

James Plaskitt: As with all allegations of benefit fraud, those involving people claiming benefits while living abroad are investigated where there is evidence that benefit is wrongly being claimed. Where benefit fraud is established appropriate action will be taken, which can include prosecution leading to imprisonment for the more serious offences.
	Allegations in newspapers are considered on the same basis as all allegations of benefit fraud and will be investigated where there is evidence that benefit has been wrongly claimed.

Benefit Fraud

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Workand Pensions 
	(1)  how many investigations into benefit fraud have been undertaken in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many prosecutions have been brought for benefit fraud in each of the last 10 years; and how many were successful.

James Plaskitt: holding answer 11 November 2005
	The available information is in the tables.
	
		Benefit fraud investigations,, prosecution, convictions and sanctions by DWP
		
			  Referrals accepted for investigations Prosecutions Convictions Sanctions 
		
		
			 1995–96 720,617 12,181 9,993 n/a 
			 1996–97 938,770 16,887 9,801 n/a 
			 1997–98 925,501 11,523 11,386 n/a 
			 1998–99 923,853 10,129 9,967 n/a 
			 1999–2000 564,543 9,272 9,129 11,030 
			 2000–01 441,368 11,584 11,403 15,560 
			 2001–02 389,633 11,355 11,183 13,550 
			 2002–03 334,974 9,396 9,267 14,270 
			 2003–04 325,706 9,204 9,091 16,160 
			 2004–05 309,343 8,670 8,573 18,505 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. 'Referrals accepted for investigations' exclude general Matching Service cases.
	2. The fraud database shows completed cases that commenced in the relevant period. Due to the time between commencement of investigation and completion of prosecution, some cases will be included data collated for earlier periods. All totals are therefore correct at the time when quoted but subject to adjustment at a later date.
	3. The significant reduction in 1998–99 results from a changed definition of cases to be referred to investigation. Prior to this year any cases in error was referred. After that date any case in error where there was a suspicion of fraud was referred.
	4. The decline in referrals from 1999–2000 reflects our success in reducing the level of fraud significantly over that period—down by over 60 per cent. in IS/JSA.
	5. Sanctions include Administrative Penalties and Cautions. Administrative Penalties as an alternative to prosecution, were introduced by the Social Security Administration (Fraud) Act (1997) with effect from December 1998. Cautions were made available to local authorities as a sanction from the start of 2001–02.
	Source:
	Fraud Information By Sector system and data from Fraud Investigation Service (Serious and Organised Operations Branch)
	
		Benefit fraud investigations, prosecution and convictions by local authorities
		
			  Referrals accepted for investigations Prosecutions Convictions 
		
		
			 1995–96 n/a n/a n/a 
			 1996–97 n/a n/a n/a 
			 1997–98 n/a n/a 700 
			 1998–99 n/a n/a 800 
			 1999–2000 n/a n/a 900 
			 2000–01 n/a n/a 1,100 
			 2001–02 214,722 2,101 1,732 
			 2002–03 185,723 3,187 2,503 
			 2003–04 163,231 4,601 3,747 
			 2004–05 163,247 5,544 4,688 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The investigations figures only cover the local authorities that have submitted the relevant information on their stats 124 and WIB5 forms and are therefore a reflection of the information that we hold, which might not be complete.
	2. For local authorities, figures prior to 2001–02 have been rounded to the nearest 100 because they include estimated values for non-responding local authorities.
	3. Figures for local authority prosecutions which did not lead to conviction are not available prior to 2001–02.
	4. The figures only cover the local authorities that have submitted the relevant information on their stats124 and WIB5 forms and is therefore a reflection of the information that we hold, which might not be complete.
	Sources:
	1. The data for the numbers of investigations have been taken from HB MIS stats124.
	2. From 2001–02 onwards the numbers of prosecutions and convictions are taken from subsidy claim forms. Prior to this the numbers are taken from management information returns.

Benefit Office Closures

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) representations he has had from and (b) discussions he has had with (i) Citizens' Advice and (ii) other benefit advice organisations on the workload of such organisations since the benefit office closure programme.

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 11 January 2006
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning the discussions he has had with the Citizen's Advice Bureau and other benefit advice organisations following the closure of benefit offices. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Jobcentre Plus was created in April 2002 bringing together the former Employment Service and those parts of the former Benefits Agency delivering services to working age people. We have been refurbishing and replacing the offices of the former Benefits Agency and Employment Service, on a rolling programme, to enable us to deliver the new, integrated Jobcentre Plus service to our customers.
	Jobcentre Plus is not just about new offices however; it is about the service we provide to thousands of people. By 2006, we will have transformed our service making it available through the telephone, through the Internet and through the personal service that we offer to people in Jobcentre Plus offices.
	The District Manager for Wrexham and North Wales Coast has written to local stakeholders, including the Citizen's Advice Bureau, on a number of occasions, since April 2004, to ensure they are kept fully informed of the changes we are making to local service delivery.
	I hope this is helpful.

Child Support Agency

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints were registered with the Child Support Agency in each year from 1997 to 2005 in (a) England, (b) Northamptonshire and (c) Wellingborough.

James Plaskitt: The information is not available at the geographical level requested.

Child Support Agency

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the (a) reform and (b) performance of the Child Support Agency (CSA); and what recent meetings he has had with the chief executive of the CSA;
	(2)  when he expects (a) reform of the Child Support Agency (CSA) to be completed and (b) all CSA maintenance cases to be calculated under the new scheme.

James Plaskitt: The Secretary of State will make an announcement on child support shortly.
	I and ministerial colleagues regularly meet with the agency's chief executive Stephen Geraghty. While there have been some improvements in the Child Support Agency's performance we are not satisfied with its overall level.
	A copy of the most recent Child Support Agency quarterly statistical summary, which gives information on the agency's performance, has been placed in the Library and is available on line at www.dwp.gov.uk/asd/csa.asp.

Child Support Agency

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what bonus pay awards will be made to senior staff at the Child Support Agency this Christmas; and what the total cost to his Department of the bonus payments will be.

James Plaskitt: No bonus pay awards will be made to senior civil servants at the Child Support Agency this Christmas and there will be no resulting cost to my Department.

CSA

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases are currently with the Child Support Agency's specialist enforcement teams; and what action he is taking to reduce that number.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Stephen Geraghty. He will write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	Letter from Hilary Reynolds, dated 11 January 2006
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive, as Stephen Geraghty is on leave I am replying on his behalf.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases are currently with the Child Support Agency's specialist enforcement teams; and what action he is taking to reduce that number.
	There are currently 15,784 cases with the Child Support Agency's specialist debt enforcement teams who are responsible for recovery of debt by means of civil debt recovery through the courts. It is expected that the number of cases referred to enforcement will increase over the short term as the Agency instigates enforcement action earlier in the process when lower amounts of debt have accrued.
	The enforcement teams are becoming much more successful in utilising their enforcement powers. This is being demonstrated by the significant improvement in the in-month cash collections achieved, rising from £0.52m in January 2005 to £1.42m in November 2005.
	In addition, the enforcement teams are closely monitoring the times taken to drive cases forward for both old scheme cases and new scheme cases and these times are improving. This action is being taken to ensure that we reach agreement on payment in full, or a payment arrangement with the non-resident parent quickly and effectively, ensuring money is obtained for the parent with care.
	I hope you find this response helpful.

CSA

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people the Child Support Agency has reported as not paying the correct amount of child support in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997.

James Plaskitt: The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive. He will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Stephen Geraghty, dated 10 January 2006
	In reply to your Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Chief Executive.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people the Child Support Agency has reported as not paying the correct amount of child support in (a) Jarrow constituency (b) South Tyneside (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each year since 1997.
	The attached table shows the number and percentage of cases being charged maintenance via the CSA's collection service for which the NRP paid the full amount of maintenance requested in the quarter ending August of each year.
	Where full payment was not received from the NRP, cases have been separated into two groups; those where partial payment was made and those where no payment was received.
	Unfortunately it is not possible to disaggregate the information requested to any geographical levels requested below that of Great Britain.
	I hope you find this answer useful.
	
		Number and percentage of Child Support Agency collection service cases for which full, partial or nil payment of maintenance was received from the non resident parent in the quarter ending August of each year—Great Britain 1997–2005
		
			 Quarter ending August: Nil compliant % Partially compliant % Fully compliant % Total 
		
		
			 1997 70,000 32 58,000 26 93,000 42 221,000 
			 1998 87,000 31 81,000 29 112,000 40 279,000 
			 1999 101,000 30 84,000 25 151,000 45 335,000 
			 2000 105,000 29 80,000 22 178,000 49 364,000 
			 2001 101,000 27 96,000 26 173,000 47 370,000 
			 2002 90,000 24 85,000 23 198,000 53 373,000 
			 2003 (19)— (19)— (19)— (19)— (19)— (19)— (19)— 
			 2004 123,000 30 101,000 24 191,000 46 415,000 
			 2005 125,000 30 101,000 24 194,000 46 420,000 
		
	
	(19) Figures for the years 1997–2002 relate to old scheme cases only, whereas those for 2004–05 relate to overall performance across both old and new schemes. Robust information/information for new and old scheme cases on the new computer system is not available for the quarter ending August 2003.
	Notes:
	1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest 1,000 and percentages to the nearest whole per cent.
	2. Figures are given as at August in each year as this is the latest available period for which comparable old scheme figures are available in earlier years.
	3. The above includes those old scheme cases with a full maintenance assessment and those new scheme cases with either a full maintenance calculation, or a default maintenance decision. Old scheme cases with a punitive interim maintenance assessment are excluded from this analysis in line with the Agency's target definitions, as are new scheme cases being processed clerically.
	4. The proportion of compliant cases is calculated by expressing cases which are currently open and have paid any of the maintenance due via the collection service over the preceding quarter expressed as a percentage of all those (currently open) cases charged maintenance via the collection service (either regular maintenance and/or arrears) over the same quarter.
	5. The table excludes maintenance direct cases (of which there were 99,000 in August 2005), in which the CSA have carried out a maintenance calculation or assessment, and the non resident parent then pays his/her maintenance liability directly to the parent with care. As the CSA is no longer directly involved in the case, it is not possible to say how much, if any of the original CSA maintenance liability is being paid.

Customer Management System

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the total cost has been to date of the implementation of the Customer Management System computer system.

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 11 January 2006
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question concerning what the total cost has been to date of the implementation of the Customer Management System (CMS) computer system. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Firstly, CMS is not yet fully deployed across the Jobcentre Plus network of local offices and contact centres and consequently there will be implementation costs not yet incurred.
	CMS and CMS2 were inter-related developments of the system and the costs were not separated. CMS3 was a release designed to improve the operation of the system based on lessons learned from the earliest deployment in a live environment.
	The total cost of CMS and CMS2 to 31 October 2005 was £243.6 million. The cost of CMS3 is estimated to be £9.98 million.
	I hope this is helpful.

Departmental Expenditure

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost of administering the Department's appraisal system was in (a) 2003–04 and (b) 2004–05, broken down by (i) staff time costs, (ii) travel and meeting costs, (iii) venue hire and (iv) other associated administration costs.

Anne McGuire: holding answer 19 December 2005
	The information requested is not available.

Departmental Staff

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State forWork and Pensions what criteria were used to determine performance-related bonus payments for senior civil servants in his Department in each of the last four years.

Anne McGuire: For each of the last four years bonus decisions have been made by relatively assessing individuals in relation to others in the same senior civil service pay band. When determining performance-related bonus payments the following criteria were used:
	
		
			  
		
		
			 2004–05 Performance against agreed priority business objectives or targets; 
			  Total delivery record over the year; 
			  Relative stretch; 
			  Response to unforeseen events which affected the performance 
			   
			 2003–04 and 2004–05 How successful staff were in meeting their objectives; 
			  How difficult/challenging the objectives were, given available resources, foreseen and unforeseen factors; 
			  How the success had been achieved taking account of the departmental aims and values. 
			   
			 2002–03 A particularly high achievement in relation to a particular task or tasks; 
			  A strong performance in response to unexpected developments or requirements which emerged during the year; 
			  Contribution to departmental objectives over and above the immediate demands of the job by changed working practices, improved productivity or delivered efficiency savings; 
			  Whether challenges were taken on which were above and beyond the agreed range of the individual's objectives which delivered benefits for the organisation

Disability Living Allowance

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people under the age of 60 years receiving (a) the middle rate of the care component, (b) the higher rate of the care component and (c) the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance stopped receiving these benefits due to death in each month of the last five years.

Anne McGuire: The available information is in the table.
	
		Disability living allowance: number of awards in Great Britain which included a higher rate care component, or a middle rate care component, or a higher rate mobility component in which payment was terminated by the death of recipients under 60 years of age at the time of their death in each quarter in the period from 30 November 2001 to 31 May 2005
		
			Quarter ending on the last day of: Number of awards in which payment was terminated by death of recipients under 60 years of age (thousands) 
		
		
			 May 2005 5.1 
			 February 2005 5.4 
			 November 2004 5.1 
			 August 2004 5.1 
			 May 2004 5.0 
			 February 2004 4.8 
			 November 2003 4.5 
			 August 2003 3.9 
			 May 2003 4.1 
			 February 2003 4.9 
			 November 2002 4.9 
			 August 2002 4.7 
			 May 2002 4.3 
			 February 2002 4.9 
			 November 2001 4.6 
			 August 2001 4.0 
			 May 2001 4.3 
			 February 2001 4.7 
			 November 2000 4.7 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred and expressed in thousands.
	2. Figures include only cases where the reason for termination of payment is recorded as death of claimant". Not all cases where payment has terminated have a reason recorded.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study for totals and 5 per cent. samples for detail/long time series.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many meetings of the EU (a) Audit Board of the Administrative Commission on social security for migrant workers, (b) Technical Committee on information processing and (c) Committee for implementation of the action programme to promote gender equality have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The information is as follows:
	(a) There was one meeting of the Audit Board of the Administrative Commission on social security for migrant workers during the UK presidency. An official from the Department of Health presided and two other officials from the Department of Health also attended.
	(b) There was one meeting of the Technical Commission on Data Processing during the UK presidency. An official from the Department for Work and Pensions presided and an official from the Department Health also attended.
	(c) The Committee for the implementation of the action programme to promote gender equality met once during the UK presidency. An official of the European Commission chaired the meeting. A representative of the Department of Trade and Industry attended.
	The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved administrations attend Councils by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.
	A copy is available on the internet at:
	http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_600629.pdf

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many meetings of the EU (a) Advisory Committee on the implementation of the Community action programme to combat social exclusion, (b) Advisory Committee on the Free Movement of Workers and (c) Technical Committee for the implementation of regulations concerning the free movement and employment of workers have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved Governments; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The information is as follows.
	(a) There was one meeting of the Advisory Committee on the implementation of the Community action programme to combat social exclusion during the UK presidency. An official of the European Commission chaired the meeting. The UK was represented by an official from the Department for Work and Pensions.
	(b) The Advisory Committee on the Free Movement of Workers and (c) the Technical Committee on the Free Movement of Workers each met once during the UK presidency. An official of the European Commission chaired each meeting. On each occasion, the UK Government were represented by two officials from the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The UK Government take into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12 to 15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved administrations attend councils by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.
	A copy is available on the internet at: http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_600629.pdf.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many meetings of the EU (a) Administrative Commision on social security for migrant workers (and working parties), (b) Committee of the European Social Fund and (c) Technical adaptation Committee on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The information is as follows:
	(a) The Administrative Commission on Social Security for Migrant Workers met twice during the UK presidency. There were no working parties during the UK presidency. An official from the Department for Work and Pensions presided over both meetings. Two other DWP officials attended the first meeting and three attended the second. An official from the Department of Health attended both meetings and two officials from HM Treasury were present at the second meeting.
	(b) There were two meetings of the EU Advisory Committee of the European Social Fund during the UK presidency. An official from the European Commission chaired the meetings. The UK representatives were two officials from the Department for Work and Pensions and representatives from the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress.
	(c) The Technical Adaptation Committee on the introduction of measures to encourage improvements in the safety and health of workers at work did not meet during the UK presidency.
	The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved administrations attend Councils by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.
	A copy is available on the internet at:
	http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_600629.pdf

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many meetings of the EU (a) Standing Committee on agricultural statistics, (b) Advisory Committee on employment and (c) Advisory Committee on incentives in the field of employment have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who was presiding over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provisions were made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: The information is as follows:
	(a) There has been one meeting of the Agricultural Statistics Committee under the UK presidency; an official from Defra attended the meeting. There was prior consultation between Defra and the devolved administrations ensuring that the representations made at the Committee reflected the common view of Defra and the devolved governments. The Committee is presided over by the Commission.
	(b) There have been two meetings of the Employment Committee (EMCO) under the UK presidency the first was an informal meeting on the 18 and 19 October and the second on the 24–25 November. All EMCO meetings are presided over by an elected chair; this is currently Maarten Camps (Netherlands). Both meeting were attended by officials from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). Officials from the Scottish Executive attended the Informal EMCO held between Glasgow and Edinburgh in October.
	(c) The Advisory Committee on Employment Incentives (EIM) meets twice a year in the spring and autumn, therefore it has only met once under the UK presidency on 7 October. No UK officials attended (only delegations from half the member states managed to attend the meeting due to industrial action in Belgium). When the Committee does meet it is presided over by the Commission.
	The UK Government takes into account the views and interests of the devolved administrations when formulating the UK's policy position on all EU and international issues which touch upon devolved matters. Provision for attendance at EU meetings by Ministers and officials of the devolved administrations is set out in paragraphs 4.12–15 of the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Union Policy Issues (part of the Memorandum of Understanding between devolved Ministers and the UK Government). Ministers from the devolved administrations attend Councils by agreement with the lead Whitehall Minister.
	A copy is available on the internet at:
	http://www.dca.gov.uk/constitution/devolution/pubs/odpm_dev_600629.pdf

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many meetings of the (a) Committee on statistics relating to the trading of goods between member states, (b) Committee for implementation of the action programme to tackle discrimination and (c) Restricted Committee of the Safety and Health Commission for the Mining and other Extractive Industries have taken place during the UK presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; which other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved governments; and if he will make a statement.

James Plaskitt: I understand from the Office for National Statistics that that there was one meeting of the Committee on statistics relating to the trading of goods between member states during the UK presidency. It was chaired by the Commission and was attended by representatives from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs.
	The EU Committee for implementation of the action programme to promote gender equality met once during the UK presidency and the Commission chaired the meeting, in the usual way. The Department of Trade and Industry represents the UK.
	The Restricted Committee of the Safety and Health Commission for the Mining and other Extractive Industries was wound up when the European Commission rationalised its consultative machinery on health and safety during 2003–04. In its place, a Standing Working Party on Mining and the Other Extractive Industries of the Advisory Committee on Safety and Health at Work has been established. The Standing Working Party has met once during the UK Presidency on 13 December 2005 and it was presided over by a German Government representative. A senior official of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) attended.
	On such committees, it is normal practice to send a single UK representative. When appropriate, they will consult the devolved Administrations.

Jobcentres (Tower Hamlets)

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  for what reasons the decision was taken not to use the local jobcentres in the London borough of Tower Hamlets to deliver the employment zone and the working neighbourhood pilot;
	(2)  how jobcentre staff in the London borough of Tower Hamlets were given the opportunity to compete with the private sector to provide job seeking services.

Margaret Hodge: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Lesley Strathie. She will write to the hon. Member.
	Letter from Lesley Strathie, dated 11 January 2006
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your questions asking for what reasons the decision was taken not to use the local jobcentres in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to deliver the Employment Zone and the Working Neighbourhood Pilot; and how jobcentre staff in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets were given the opportunity to compete with the private sector to provide job seeking services. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	In 1997 the then Employment Service was given the opportunity to compete to deliver the Employment Zone in Tower Hamlets, but decided not to submit an in-house bid. Instead, it formed a consortium with Manpower and Ernst & Young called Working Links' to provide a public/private partnership. This provided Jobcentre staff in Tower Hamlets with the opportunity of applying for secondment to work for Working Links.
	Employment Zone contractors used their own premises to deliver their business. They were offered space within Jobcentre offices and most took the decision to provide a small presence for a first point of contact before referring customers to their own premises.

Lone Parents

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what changes to lone parent benefit entitlements have been implemented since 1990; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Currently, the only benefit for which lone parent" is a category for entitlement is income support.
	The criteria allowing lone parents to qualify for income support have principally remained unchanged since 1988 in that the customer would, in addition to being a lone parent, also have to satisfy other conditions of entitlement common to all claimants. The criteria for claiming income support as a lone parent did see substantial change when Work Focused Interviews were introduced in August 2000.
	The Work Focused Interview for Lone Parent (LPWFI) regulations require lone parents to participate in a Work Focused Interview at the outset of their claim. From October 2005 lone parents are also required to attend a Work Focused Interview once every three months when their youngest child is aged 14 or over, to help them prepare for the transition to JSA once their child reaches 16 years and avoid drift onto incapacity Benefit.
	While the introduction of LPWFI presented a major change to the criteria for claiming the benefit, income support has continued to evolve to meet the needs of all the people it provides for. Many changes introduced on income support have not been exclusive to lone parents, though along with other client groups they have continued to benefit from the enhancements made to the benefit; such as Mortgage Interest Run-On (MIRO) or the recent introduction of Child Maintenance Premium (CMP).
	The key social security changes affecting lone parents are in the table.
	
		Key changes to lone parent benefits since 1990
		
			  Changes 
		
		
			 1993 The introduction of the Child Support Agency (CSA) sought to ensure absent parents met the financial responsibilities for their children. 
			   
			 1997 Introduction of Child Maintenance Bonus payments on movement into full-time work, of 16 or more hours a week. 
			  Launch of New Deal for Lone Parents (NDLP) in eight prototype areas. 
			  Standard amount payable for Dependant Children 
			  Significant increase to the amount of Dependants Allowance. 
			   
			 1998 Lone parent premium in Income Support and One Parent Benefit abolished for lone parents making a new claim. 
			  Childcare disregard increased to £100 where two or more children are eligible (children up to age 12). 
			  NDLP implemented nationally. 
			  Improved provision for work-related training within NDLP. 
			  Introduction of linking rule to preserve benefit entitlement for breaks of up to 12 weeks. 
			   
			 1999 Family Credit replaced with Working Families' Tax Credit to supplement the income of working parents. 
			  Introduction of National Minimum Wage. 
			  Lone Parent Benefit Run-On (LPRO) introduced—subsequently replaced by the two levels of Job Grant in October 2004, which ensure the financial assistance available to assist customers in their transition from benefits into work is more equitable for all benefit recipients. 
			   
			 2000 Work Focused Interview target group extended to those with a youngest child aged three or over (formerly aged five and three months or over). 
			  Introduction of compulsory Personal Adviser meetings in three 'pathfinder' areas. 
			  Introduction of In-Work Training Grant pilots for those already in employment. 
			   
			 2001 Target set to get 70 per cent. of lone parents into work by 2010. 
			  National introduction of compulsory Personal Adviser meetings for new and repeat claimants and existing claimants with youngest child 13–15 years. 
			  Extension of NDLP to all non-working lone parents and to those working fewer than 16 hours (regardless of whether claiming benefits). 
			  Extension of Work-Based Learning for Adults to lone parents aged 18–24. 
			  Basic skills screening introduced at initial NDLP interview. 
			  Adviser Discretion Fund replaces Jobseeker's Grant for lone parents. 
			  Introduction of Jobcentre Plus. 
			  Self employment option is available for NDLP from autumn 2001. 
			   
			 2002 Outreach to increase participation in voluntary NDP/NDLP. 
			  Personal advisor (PA) meetings extended further with roll-out to existing one parent claimants with youngest child aged 9–12 and new/repeat clients with youngest child aged three and above. 
			  Compulsory six monthly PA review meetings in pathfinder areas and for all new lone parent claimants nationally. 
			  Full national roll out of Jobcentre Plus. 
			  12-monthly review meetings for existing lone parent claimants introduced. 
			   
			 2003 New Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credits begin. 
			  Mandatory PA meetings extended to new and repeat lone parent claimants of IS with children under 3 and to existing claimants with youngest children aged 5–8 years. 
			   
			 2004 Mandatory PA meetings extended to cover more frequent interviews. 
			  Extended WFI regulations ensuring all lone parents on income support are covered. 
			  A new mentoring service across the country tailored specifically for lone parents. 
			  The development (working closely with employers) of a targeted communications strategy in six metropolitan areas, to supplement existing national and local advertising campaigns. 
			  Discovery Week pilots in six major metropolitan areas to boost soft skills and knowledge of help available. 
			  Childcare taster pilots from April 2004. 
			  The introduction of a new £20 per week Work Search Premium in 8 pilot areas and new £40 per week In-Work Credit in 12 pilot areas available to lone parents who have been on income support for 12 months or more. 
			  A new flexible fund for debt advisory services. 
			  Lone parents joining Employment Zones. 
			   
			 2005 The Pathways to Work for Lone Parents pilot was launched, bringing together extra support and childcare help with added financial incentives for lone parents to look for and move into work.

Lone Parents

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of lone parents are in employment; what work search responsibilities apply to lone parents with teenage children; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: Since 1997 the lone parent employment rate has increased by 11 percentage points to 56.6 per cent. In May 2005 there were 787,000 people claiming lone parent benefits, down from 1,013,500 in May 1997.
	New deal for lone parents (NDLP) is a voluntary programme, which is available to lone parents who are not working, or working less than 16 hours a week. They must be aged 16 or over and have a dependent child under 16 years of age. Under NDLP, lone parents are offered support and financial incentives via Personal Advisers, who can help their customers identify and deal with any barriers preventing them from moving into work.
	Lone parents in receipt of income support are required to participate in a Work Focused Interview at the outset of their claim. From October 2005 lone parents are also required to attend a Work Focused Interview once every three months when their youngest child is aged 14 or over, to help them prepare for the transition to JSA once their child reaches 16 years and avoid drift onto incapacity benefit.
	From October 2005 lone parents are also required to agree an action plan with their Personal Adviser as a condition of completing their initial WFI.
	The condition of entitlement to IS as a lone parent ceases once their youngest child reaches age 16. At this stage, if they are not in work and wish to continue to receive benefit, they must claim jobseeker's allowance or, if they have a health problem,
	incapacity benefit. They would then be subject to the respective conditionally rules associated with these benefits.

Ministerial Cars

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much the Department has spent on ministerial cars in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Anne McGuire: My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office has asked Roy Burke, Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) to write to the hon. Member with details of the costs of ministerial vehicles provided to Departments in 2004–05. Copies of his letter will be placed in the Library.
	For information for the financial years 2000–01 to 2003–04 I refer the hon. Member to the letters from the Chief Executive of the GCDA to the hon. Member for Buckingham (John Bercow) dated 10 January 2005 and to the then hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs dated 13 September 2003. Copies of these letters are available in the Library.

Mr. Gareth Davies

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to which official post Mr. Gareth Davies has been appointed in his Department; what level of remuneration he will receive; and from what date the appointment took effect.

Anne McGuire: Mr. Gareth Davies has not been appointed to any post in this Department.

New Deal

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) over 25s, (b) lone parents, (c) over 50s and (d) young people have participated in the new deal in Beverley and Holderness in each year since its inception.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is in the tables.
	
		Number of starts to new deal 25 plus, per year, in Beverley and Holderness (individuals)
		
			 Time period Number starts to ND25+ (individuals) 
		
		
			 July 1998-March 1999 70 
			 April 1999-March 2000 90 
			 April 2000-March 2001 90 
			 April 2001-March 2002 150 
			 April 2002-March 2003 170 
			 April 2003-March 2004 140 
			 April 2004-March 2005 130 
			 April 2005-August 2005 20 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. New deal 25 plus was introduced nationally in July 1998.
	2. Latest data is to August 2005.
	3. Data is rounded to nearest 10.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, DWP
	
		Number of starts to new deal for lone parents, per year, in Beverley and Holderness (individuals)
		
			 Time period Number starts to NDLP caseload (individuals) 
		
		
			 October 1998-March 1999 40 
			 April 1999-March 2000 80 
			 April 2000-March 2001 80 
			 April 2001-March 2002 80 
			 April 2002-March 2003 150 
			 April 2003-March 2004 120 
			 April 2004-March 2005 220 
			 April 2005-August 2005 80 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. New deal for lone parents was introduced nationally in October 1998.
	2. Latest data is to August 2005.
	3. Data is rounded to nearest 10.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, DWP
	
		Number of starts to new deal for young people, per year, in Beverley and Holderness (individuals)
		
			 Time period Number starts to NDYP (individuals) 
		
		
			 April 1998-March 1999 270 
			 April 1999-March 2000 180 
			 April 2000-March 2001 160 
			 April 2001-March 2002 150 
			 April 2002-March 2003 140 
			 April 2003-March 2004 160 
			 April 2004-March 2005 150 
			 April 2005-August 2005 80 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. New deal for young people was introduced nationally in April 1998.
	2. Latest data is to August 2005.
	3. Data is rounded to nearest 10.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, DWP
	
		Number of starts to new deal 50 plus, per year, in Beverley and Holderness (individuals)
		
			 Time period Number starts to ND50+ caseload (individuals) 
		
		
			 January 2004-March 2004 20 
			 April 2004-March 2005 60 
			 April 2005-August 2005 20 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. New deal 50 plus starts to caseload data is only available from January 2004.
	2. Latest data is to August 2005.
	3. Data is rounded to nearest 10.
	Source:
	Information Directorate, DWP

Pension Forecasts

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pension forecasts have been sent by his retirement pension forecasting team (a) in total and (b) to persons aged (i) under 18 years and (ii) between 18 and 25 years of age since the inception of the scheme.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 15 December 2005
	State pension forecasts have been issued since 1988. Information on the number of forecasts issued is only available from April 1996. Since that date 21.85 million pension forecasts have been issued.
	Information on age groups is only available from April 2003. Since that date 560,000 pension forecasts have been sent to persons aged under 18 years, and a further 1.20 million pension forecasts have been sent to persons aged between 18 and 25 years.

Pensioner Poverty

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people of retirement age were living on an income deemed to be beneath the poverty line in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) London in each of the last five years.

Stephen Timms: The number of pensioners living in households with incomes below 60 per cent. of contemporary median—a measure of 'relative' low income—and below 60 per cent. of 1996–97 GB median—a measure of 'absolute' low income—are presented in the following tables. For consistency all figures are presented as three-year rolled averages as single year estimates for the English regions, including London, are not robust. Equivalent data is not available for Northern Ireland, as the necessary information has only been collected for two financial years.
	
		Number of pensioners living in households with incomes below 60 per cent. of contemporary median
		
			  Million 
			  Three-year rolling averages 
			 Before housing costs 1997–98 to 1999–2000 1998–99 to 2000–01 1999–2000 to 2001–02 2000–01 to 2002–03 2001–02 to 2003–04 
		
		
			 England 1.98 1.96 1.96 1.97 1.95 
			 Scotland 0.18 0.19 0.18 0.17 0.17 
			 Wales 0.14 0.14 0.13 0.12 0.13 
			 London 0.19 0.18 0.19 0.18 0.19 
			   
			 After housing costs  
			 England 2.33 2.26 2.14 2.05 1.92 
			 Scotland 0.22 0.22 0.21 0.19 0.18 
			 Wales 0.14 0.13 0.13 0.12 0.12 
			 London 0.30 0.29 0.28 0.25 0.24 
		
	
	
		Number of pensioners living in households with incomes below 60 per cent. of 1996–97 GB median
		
			  Million 
			  Three-year rolling averages 
			 Before housing costs 1997–98 to 1999–2000 1998–99 to 2000–01 1999–2000 to 2001–02 2000–01 to 2002–03 2001–02 to 2003–04 
		
		
			 England 1.77 1.62 1.43 1.27 1.12 
			 Scotland 0.16 0.15 0.13 0.10 0.09 
			 Wales 0.12 0.11 0.09 0.07 0.07 
			 London 0.17 0.16 0.15 0.13 0.12 
			   
			 After housing costs  
			 England 2.03 1.73 1.37 1.09 0.90 
			 Scotland 0.20 0.17 0.13 0.10 0.08 
			 Wales 0.12 0.10 0.08 0.06 0.05 
			 London 0.27 0.23 0.19 0.14 0.12 
		
	
	Note:
	Tables show numbers in millions and rounded to the nearest 10,000.

Pensioners

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) single female pensioners, (b) single male pensioners and (c) married pensioner couples are receiving financial assistance to bring them up to the minimum pension level in (i) each constituency in Wales and (ii) each ward in the Vale of Clwyd.

Stephen Timms: The available information is in the following table:
	
		Guarantee credit recipients by parliamentary constituency in Wales as at September 2005
		
			  All Single Couples 
			  Total Female Male Total Female Male Total Female claimant Male claimant 
		
		
			 Wales 126,500 81,800 44,700 100,500 76,900 23,600 26,000 4,900 21,100 
			   
			 Aberavon 3,500 2,300 1,200 2,700 2,200 600 800 100 600 
			 Alyn and Deeside 2,500 1,700 800 2,100 1,600 400 500 100 400 
			 Blaenau Gwent 3,700 2,400 1,300 3,000 2,300 700 700 100 600 
			 Brecon and Radnorshire 2,500 1,700 800 2,000 1,600 400 500 100 400 
			 Bridgend 2,900 1,900 1,000 2,300 1,800 500 600 100 500 
			 Caernarfon 3,100 2,100 1,100 2,500 2,000 500 600 100 500 
			 Caerphilly 3,800 2,400 1,400 2,900 2,300 600 900 100 700 
			 Cardiff Central 2,100 1,300 800 1,700 1,200 500 400 100 300 
			 Cardiff North 2,200 1,500 700 1,800 1,400 400 400 100 300 
			 Cardiff South and Penarth 4,400 2,700 1,700 3,600 2,500 1,000 800 100 700 
			 Cardiff West 3,600 2,200 1,400 2,900 2,100 800 700 100 500 
			 Carmarthen East and Dinefwr 3,000 1,900 1,100 2,400 1,800 600 600 100 500 
			 Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire 3,200 2,000 1,200 2,500 1,900 600 700 100 600 
			 Ceredigion 2,700 1,700 1,000 2,100 1,600 500 600 100 500 
			 Clwyd South 3,100 2,000 1,100 2,500 1,900 600 600 100 500 
			 Clwyd West 3,500 2,200 1,200 2,700 2,100 600 800 200 600 
			 Conwy 3,000 2,000 1,000 2,500 1,900 600 600 100 500 
			 Cynon Valley 3,200 2,100 1,000 2,500 2,000 500 700 100 500 
			 Delyn 2,700 1,700 1,000 2,100 1,600 500 600 100 500 
			 Gower 2,800 1,900 900 2,200 1,800 500 500 100 400 
			 Islwyn 2,900 1,900 1,000 2,300 1,800 500 600 100 500 
			 Llanelli 4,200 2,800 1,500 3,300 2,600 800 900 200 700 
			 Meirionnydd Nant Conwy 1,900 1,200 700 1,500 1,200 400 400 100 300 
			 Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney 3,700 2,400 1,300 3,000 2,300 700 700 100 600 
			 Monmouth 2,700 1,800 900 2,100 1,700 500 500 100 400 
			 Montgomeryshire 2,100 1,400 700 1,700 1,300 400 400 100 300 
			 Neath 3,400 2,300 1,100 2,700 2,100 600 700 200 500 
			 Newport East 2,700 1,800 1,000 2,100 1,700 500 600 100 500 
			 Newport West 3,400 2,200 1,200 2,800 2,100 700 600 100 500 
			 Ogmore 3,100 2,000 1,100 2,400 1,800 600 700 100 500 
			 Pontypridd 3,300 2,200 1,200 2,600 2,000 600 700 200 600 
			 Preseli Pembrokeshire 3,100 2,000 1,100 2,500 1,900 600 700 100 500 
			 Rhondda 4,300 2,800 1,500 3,400 2,600 800 900 200 800 
			 Swansea East 3,700 2,400 1,400 2,900 2,200 700 900 200 700 
			 Swansea West 3,700 2,400 1,400 3,000 2,200 800 700 100 600 
			 Torfaen 3,600 2,300 1,200 2,800 2,200 600 800 200 600 
			 Vale of Clwyd 3,800 2,400 1,400 3,000 2,200 800 900 200 700 
			 Vale of Glamorgan 3,100 2,000 1,100 2,500 1,900 600 600 100 500 
			 Wrexham 2,900 1,900 1,000 2,300 1,800 600 500 100 400 
			 Ynys Mon 3,300 2,100 1,200 2,500 2,000 600 700 100 600 
		
	
	
		Guarantee credit recipients by ward within the Vale of Clwyd as at May 2005
		
			  All Single Couples 
			  Total Female Male Total Female Male Total Female claimant Male claimant 
		
		
			 All 3,835 2,415 1,420 2,985 2,240 750 850 180 670 
			   
			 Bodelwyddan 60 30 35 40 30 15 20 (20)— 20 
			 Denbigh Central 65 45 20 60 50 10 5 (20)— 5 
			 Denbigh Lower 155 115 35 125 105 20 25 10 15 
			 Denbigh Upper/Henllan 140 80 60 115 70 35 30 5 20 
			 Dyserth 100 60 40 80 55 25 25 5 20 
			 Llandyrnog 85 55 25 70 55 20 10 5 10 
			 Prestatyn Central 175 115 65 135 105 30 40 5 40 
			 Prestatyn East 180 120 60 150 120 30 25 (20)— 30 
			 Prestatyn Meliden 100 65 40 70 55 15 30 5 25 
			 Prestatyn North 405 245 160 285 225 65 125 25 95 
			 Prestatyn South West 190 115 80 135 100 30 60 15 45 
			 Rhuddlan 160 105 50 125 100 20 35 10 30 
			 Rhyl East 470 315 155 390 300 95 85 15 65 
			 Rhyl South 195 120 75 125 100 25 70 20 50 
			 Rhyl South East 330 210 120 250 195 55 80 15 65 
			 Rhyl South West 350 220 130 275 205 75 75 15 60 
			 Rhyl West 365 175 180 305 170 135 60 15 45 
			 St. Asaph East 75 55 20 60 50 15 10 (20)— 5 
			 St. Asaph West 90 60 30 65 55 15 20 (20)— 20 
			 Trefnant 105 75 30 95 70 20 10 5 5 
			 Tremeirchion 45 30 15 30 25 10 10 5 5 
		
	
	(20) Nil or negligible.
	Notes:
	1. Parliamentary constituency caseloads are rounded to the nearest 100 therefore totals may not sum.
	2. Data for parliamentary constituency and wards are not released simultaneously. The data provided is the most recent for each.
	3. All benefit counts at ward level are rounded to a multiple of 5 to protect the confidentiality of the individual claimants.
	4. Pension credit (PC) replaced minimum income guarantee (MIG) on 6 October 2003. Existing MIG recipients were automatically converted onto pension credit on that date (assuming they still met the eligibility criteria).
	5. WPLS data are taken as at 31 May2005.
	6. These figures used for the parliamentary constituencies are early estimates.
	Operational processing times mean that a number of claim commencements and terminations are not reflected in the figures. The final figures incorporated within the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) will take account of such cases and these figures become available three to four months after the early estimates.
	7. Couples may contain a number of partners who are less than the age of 60.
	8. The table includes clients who are in receipt of Guarantee Credit only and those who receive Guarantee Credit and Savings Credit.
	9. Parliamentary constituencies and wards are assigned by matching postcodes against the relevant ONS postcode directory.
	10. All wards nest within the Vale of Clwyd parliamentary constituency apart from Llandyrnog which is partly with Clwyd West constituency, therefore the sum of the wards will not match the Vale of Clwyd parliamentary constituency value.
	Source:
	DWP Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (100 per cent. data).

HEALTH

Abortion

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions were performed between 18 and 32 weeks of gestation in the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland strategic health authority in 2004–05, broken down by week of gestation.

Rosie Winterton: The available information is shown in the table.
	
		Number of abortions by gestation 18 weeks and over for women resident in Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland strategic health authority, 2004(21)
		
			 Gestation weeks Number 
		
		
			 18 52 
			 19 48 
			 20 36 
			 21 21 
			 22 17 
			 23 and over 20 
		
	
	(21) Data published by calendar year. Data for 2005 will be available in summer 2006.
	Note:
	Totals for gestations over 23 weeks are less than 10 and for confidentially reasons are not available for release.

Abortion

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions have been performed in the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland strategic health authority in each year since 1975 on girls between the ages of 10 and 17, broken down by age; and how many were performed to save the life of the patient.

Rosie Winterton: The available information is shown in the table.
	
		Numbers of terminations by age for women aged under 18, resident in Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland strategic health authority (SHA), 2002–04(22)
		
			  Age 
			  14 and under 15 16 17 
		
		
			 2004 32 66 154 239 
			 2003 27 76 148 225 
			 2002 34 57 150 223 
		
	
	(22) Prior to 2002, information was published by health authority and not directly comparable with SHAs.
	Notes:
	1. The total number of terminations to girls under 18 resident in Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland SHA that were performed to save the life of the pregnant woman was less than 10, between zero to nine, and for confidentiality reasons are not available for release.
	2. Individual ages for 14 and under are less than 10 and for confidentiality reasons are not available for release.

Abortion

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) live births and (b) abortions there were in (i) Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland strategic health authority, (ii) Northampton primary care trust, (iii) Daventry and South Northamptonshire primary care trust and (iv) Northamptonshire Heartlands primary care trust in each year since 1976.

Rosie Winterton: The available information is shown in the table.
	
		Number of live births and abortions to residents of Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland strategic health authority (SHA) and Northampton, Daventry and South Northamptonshire and Northamptonshire Heartlands primary care trusts, 2002–04(23).
		
			  Live Births Abortions 
		
		
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and  Rutland SHA   
			 2004 19,407 4,831 
			 2003 19,090 4,641 
			 2002 18,061 4,474 
			
			 Northampton PCT   
			 2004 2,758 835 
			 2003 2,813 772 
			 2002 2,600 742 
			
			 Daventry and South Northamptonshire PCT   
			 2004 1,183 260 
			 2003 1,163 257 
			 2002 1,543 223 
			
			 Northamptonshire Heartlands PCT   
			 2004 3,453 818 
			 2003 3,311 858 
			 2002 3,267 847 
		
	
	(23) Prior to 2002 information was published by health authority and not directly comparable with SHAs or PCTs.

Abortion

Brian Binley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many women in the Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland strategic health authority had more than one abortion in the last five years, broken down by the number of abortions;
	(2)  how many abortions were performed in (a) Northampton primary care trust, (b) Daventry and South Northamptonshire primary care trust and (c) Northamptonshire Heartland primary care trust in the last five years, broken down by the number of previous abortions performed on the woman concerned.

Rosie Winterton: The available information is shown in the tables.
	
		Number of abortions(24)to women resident in Northampton, Daventry and South Northamptonshire and Northamptonshire Heartland primary care trusts (PCTs) and Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland strategic health authority (SHA) in 2002–04(25)
		
			  Number of previous abortions 
			 Northampton PCT 0 1 2 and more 
		
		
			 2004 612 177 46 
			 2003 557 172 43 
			 2002 553 151 38 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of previous abortions 
			 Daventry and South  Northamptonshire PCT 0 1 2 and more 
		
		
			 2004 194 54 12 
			 2003 184 59 14 
			 2002 169 41 13 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of previous abortions 
			 Northamptonshire Heartland PCT 0 1 2 3 and more 
		
		
			 2004 599 178 26 15 
			 2003 636 189 20 13 
			 2002 631 169 30 17 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of previous abortions 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland SHA 0 1 2 3 4 and more 
		
		
			 2004 3,484 1,087 202 44 14 
			 2003 3,321 1,068 189 45 18 
			 2002 3,294 937 184 38 20 
		
	
	(24) Number of abortions throughout the whole of the women's reproductive life.
	(25) Prior to 2002, information was published by health authority and not directly comparable with SHAs or PCTs.
	Note:
	For confidentiality reasons, groups shown are where the totals are 10 or more.

Academic Medicine

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many posts in academic medicine there were in each of the last 10 years, broken down by specialty; and what forecasts have been made for such posts for each of the next three years.

Liam Byrne: The council of heads of medical schools and the council of deans of dental schools collect this information which can be found at www.chms.ac.uk. The Department does not collect data centrally on clinical academics.

Agency Staff

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff were employed by non-departmental public bodies and agencies for which she has responsibility in (a) total and (b) each (i) nation and (ii) region of the UK and (c) London in 2004–05.

Jane Kennedy: The total number of staff employed by executive non-departmental public bodies sponsored by the Department as at 31 March 2005 is recorded in table 2 of public bodies 2005, a copy of which is available in the Library and is also available on the civil service website at:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/the_future_of_the_civil_servi ce/agencies_and_public__bodies/news/index.asp.
	However, public bodies does not give the regional breakdowns sought and this data is not held by the Department. They could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The number of staff employed in the Department's executive agencies as at 1 April 2004, including a regional analysis, is available in civil service statistics 2004, published in February 2005. A copy is available in the Library and is also available on the civil service website at:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/management_of_the_civil_ser vice/statistics/contents_for_civil_service_statistics_2004__ report/index.asp.

Alcohol Misuse

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on developing multi-agency action on alcohol misuse through the community safety partnerships.

Caroline Flint: The Department and Home Office Ministers have regular discussions on a range of issues including the role of community safety partnerships.
	Multi-agency action is an important building block of the alcohol harm reduction strategy. Community safety partnerships, which include the police, local authorities, and primary care trusts, are taking forward local initiatives to manage the night time economy and the impact that alcohol misuse can have in the community.
	The recently launched, Alcohol Misuse Interventions—Guidance on developing a local programme of improvement" places a great emphasis on working in partnership. Annex G specifically mentions the role of the crime and disorder reduction partnerships and encourages health organisations to work within them to plan for and deliver improved local alcohol treatment services and other interventions.

Alcohol Misuse

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions she has had with the Home Secretary on providing education and training for (a) public and (b) voluntary sector staff who work with vulnerable groups on screening for alcohol problems, with particular reference to people in the criminal justice system.

Caroline Flint: The Department and Home Office Ministers have regular discussions on a range of issues involving alcohol misuse.
	The Department plans to commission a programme of trailblazer pilots for alcohol screening and brief interventions. Although the contract has still to be finalised, we have selected a consortium led by St. George's Medical School (University of London) and Newcastle University to operate theses pilots and extract the learning from them to apply to a larger roll-out programme planned for the future.
	These trailblazer pilots will operate in three settings; primary care, accident and emergency and criminal justice settings. These pilots will involve training people within the criminal justice system to deliver alcohol screening and brief interventions In some of these settings voluntary sector agencies may be contracted to provide these interventions and they will be appropriately trained to do so. The purpose of the pilots is to determine which methods of training, which screening tools and which brief interventions are most effective in each of the settings.
	As the findings from these pilots emerge, we will make the learning available to the wider health and social care network, including the voluntary sector, as well as the criminal justice system to encourage them to implement the alcohol screening and brief interventions into their practice.

Alcohol Misuse

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to develop local campaigns to promote sensible drinking.

Caroline Flint: Local communications are being considered as part of a national campaign to address binge drinking. The national campaign will develop new materials for use at local level. Currently, some local national health service organisations are already considering or delivering local campaigns to promote sensible drinking.

Animal Insulins

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether the pharmaceuticals company Novo Nordisk will continue to produce pork insulins for use in the UK;
	(2)  what recent discussions she has had with Wockhardt regarding maintaining the supply of animal insulin; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2005, Official Report, column 2108W, on diabetes, what steps she has taken to ensure that patients requiring insulin treatment have access to their usual insulin species while in hospital as an in-patient.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 9 January 2006
	Novo Nordisk has informed the Department that it will make a decision about the continued supply of its animal insulin in the United Kingdom in 2006.
	The Department is in regular contact with Wockhardt UK. The company has confirmed that it has no plans to discontinue supply of its animal insulin's in the UK.
	Animal insulin's are available in the UK to treat patients in hospitals, as well as those in the community. It is up to the clinician, in consultation with the patient, to decide which treatment is most suitable.

Aylesbury Vale PCT

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account she has taken in decisions on funding for Aylesbury Vale primary care trust of changes in the number of people in the area was reported living with a limiting long-term illness between the 1991 and 2001 census.

Caroline Flint: The weighted capitation formula used to inform allocations to all primary care trusts in England includes an age standardised measure of limiting long-term illness from the 1998 to 2000 Health Survey for England in the component of the formula that measures relative additional need for primary medical services.

Cancer Treatment

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the (a) Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency product licence and (b) National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidance to be issued on the use of Herceptin for the treatment of early stage breast cancer.

Jane Kennedy: On the 22 September 2005, the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) issued a press statement anticipating that Roche would submit a product licence variation application for use of Herceptin in early stage breast cancer by the beginning of 2006. The statement further indicated that similar types of submissions in important oncology indications in the past have been dealt with by the EMEA in an expedited review within two to three months.
	Herceptin for early stage breast cancer was referred to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on 21 July 2005. Herceptin will be one of the first drugs to be appraised using NICE'S new single technology appraisal process, which will allow guidance to be issued shortly after any licence is granted.

Cancer Treatment

Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients with suspected cancer waited less than two weeks for a specialist appointment in the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: In the last 12 months some 498,310 (96.6 per cent.) patients with suspected cancer were seen by a specialist within two weeks of urgent referral by their general practitioner.

Cardiac Rehabilitation Services

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how long on average patients who had had a heart attack waited for cardiac rehabilitation services in (a) England, (b) Kettering hospital NHS Trust and (c) Northampton General hospital NHS Trust in 2004–05.

Rosie Winterton: This information is not collected centrally.

Cholesterol

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate she has made of the annual cost to the NHS of treating people with unhealthy cholesterol levels.

Caroline Flint: £769 million was spent on lipid-regulating drugs for the treatment of unhealthy cholesterol levels in England in 2004. The wider costs of treatments for people with raised cholesterol have not recently been estimated.

Cholesterol

Howard Stoate: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent by (a) her Department and (b) the NHS on (i) dietary advice and (ii) drug treatment for those at risk of raised cholesterol.

Caroline Flint: To date, the Department has spent approximately £6.9 million on promoting positive benefits of a healthy diet and approximately £2.82 billion on lipid-regulating drugs, used to treat those at risk of raised cholesterol. The Department has not separately estimated the cost of dietary advice for those at risk of raised cholesterol.

Contingency Planning

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation has been undertaken concerning the preparation of the draft emergency regulations which could be made under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 in the event of a health emergency.

Rosie Winterton: The Government maintains a set of draft emergency regulations which could provide the basis for emergency regulations should the criteria for the use of emergency powers set out in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 be met. The development of these draft regulations has been informed by the regular dialogue which takes place within and beyond government on the full range of civil contingencies issues, including health emergencies.

Dentistry

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the potential impact of the new general dental services contract on NHS dentistry.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 20 December 2005
	The impact of the new general dental services contract means that instead of being paid separate fees for each individual item of treatment, dentists will carry out an agreed number of courses of treatment over the course of a year. The required commitment will be 5 per cent. below traditional levels of activity.
	The evidence from pilot personal dental services schemes, where dentists do not work on the item of service system, is that moving away from the 'item of service' treadmill allows dentists to follow a more preventive approach, with fewer, individual items of treatment within the average course of treatment.
	Primary care trusts (PCTs) will now hold their own dental budget for primary care services. For the first time, PCTs will be able to commission new services to replace capacity where a dentist leaves the national health service or reduces their NHS commitment, and to determine where new practices are established to meet local needs.

Dentistry

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices in Manchester, Withington constituency have stopped carrying out NHS work since 1997.

Rosie Winterton: Within the Withington constituency, one dental surgery working in the national health service general dental service (GDS) or personal dental service (PDS) ceased to provide a GDS or PDS service between September 1997 and September 2005.

Dentistry

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she intends to abolish the maximum annual patient dental charge with the introduction of the new General Dental Services contract in April 2006.

Rosie Winterton: No maximum annual patient dental charge currently exists. The maximum charge per course of treatment is £384. The new charging regime means that from April 2006 the maximum charge for national health service dental treatment will be a band three charge, which for 2006–07 is £189—a reduction of over 50 per cent. from the current maximum charge for treatment.

Departmental Staff

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in her Department were (a) civil servants, (b) contractors and (c) other staff in each year since 1997.

Jane Kennedy: For the number of civil servants between 1998 and 2004, I refer the hon. Member to table C in Civil Service Statistics 2004 which covers permanent staff numbers (full-time equivalent basis) in the Department. Civil Service Statistics 2004 are available in the Library and on the Cabinet Office Statistics website at:
	www.civilservice.gov.uk/management_of_the_civil_service/stat istics/civil_service_statistics/index.asp
	The data for 1997 can be obtained from table C in Civil Service Statistics 2003, which is also available in the Library.
	Information on the number of contractors within the Department is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Diabetes

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2005, Official Report, column 2108W, on diabetes, what assessment she has made of the safety of long-term use of insulin analogues, with particular reference to carcinogenic risks.

Jane Kennedy: holding answer 9 January 2006
	Human insulin analogues are licensed through the European centralised licensing procedure. The quality, safety and efficacy of these products in assessed prior to licensing by the European Scientific Advisory Committee, the Committee on Medicines for Human Use in accordance with European regulatory guidelines, including Points to consider document on the non-clinical assessment of the carcinogenic potential of insulin analogues". The available clinical data does not provide any evidence to suggest that diabetic patients who receive either human insulin, insulin analogues or animal insulin analogues are at an increased risk of developing cancer.
	The safety of human insulin analogues in clinical practice is continually monitored by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the European Medicines Agency.

Diabetes

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2005, Official Report, column 2108W, on diabetes, what steps she has taken to (a) ensure that patients' next-of-kin and carers are able to make a fully informed choice among all insulin treatment options and (b) such choice is also available when individual insulin options are discontinued.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 9 January 2006
	I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave on 23 November 2005, Official Report, column 2108W and the reply I gave today.

Diabetes

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 23 November 2005, Official Report, column 2109W, on diabetes, what guidance on the use of insulins her Department has issued to inform decision making by (a) patients and (b) clinicians; and what steps she has taken to provide information on the risks and benefits of all insulin regimes.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 9 January 2006
	The choice of insulin prescribed to a patient is a clinical decision made as a result of a joint decision making process between the patient and their clinician taking into account all available evidence and the individuals specific clinical needs. From January 2006, the national Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance on patient education will require all primary care trusts to implement NICE recommendations by providing all people with diabetes with high quality, structured education which should include information on insulin use.

EU Committees

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings of the EU Pharmaceutical Committee have taken place during the UK Presidency of the EU; who presided over each meeting; what other UK representatives were present; what provision was made for representation of the devolved governments; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: During the United Kingdom Presidency, the Pharmaceutical Committee met in Brussels on 12 September and 2 December 2005. On both occasions the meeting was chaired by a senior official from the Commission, which is the norm for this committee. The UK's role was largely unaffected by the Presidency, other than reporting on Council Presidency business. At the 12 September meeting the UK was represented by senior officials from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate; at the 2 December meeting, the UK was represented by two senior officials from the MHRA. The UK members of the Pharmaceutical Committee represent UK-wide interests on the Committee and work in co-operation with the Scottish Executive and other Devolved Administrations as required.

Eye Tests

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what representations she has received from ophthalmologists and opticians about the retention of the nationally negotiated sight test and fee;
	(2)  what representations she has received from ophthalmologists and opticians on the continuation ofthe right of optometrists and registered corporate bodies to hold a local general ophthalmic services contract.

Rosie Winterton: We have received letters from optical representative bodies and from honourable members on behalf of opticians in their areas seeking reassurances in relation to the effect of the clauses in the Health Bill concerning General Ophthalmic Services (GOS).
	I met with the three main optical bodies on 27 October 2005. They raised the issue of the continuation of the right optometrists and registered corporate bodies to hold a local general ophthalmic services contract. I assured them that we envisage the sight testing service operating like the GOS system now. Contractors, who meet agreed national criteria, subject to local decision on matters such as quality of service, will be able to have a GOS contract. Patients will be able to choose a GOS contractor who provides their sight test. We also envisage continuing to have a centrally negotiated sight test fee with access to sight tests not being constrained locally by individual primary care trust budgets.

Food Labelling

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes the planned amendments to food labelling laws will make to the information and choice available to consumers on genetically modified derivatives.

Caroline Flint: Rules for the labelling of genetically modified food products are provided by Regulation (EC) No 1829/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on genetically modified food and feed and the related national regulations, The Genetically Modified Food (England) Regulations 2004. There are no current plans to change the labelling of genetically modified food under these regulations.
	The Regulations require that foods, which contain or consist of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), or are produced from or contain ingredients from GMOs, are labelled as containing or consisting of genetically modified ingredients. This includes ingredients such as glucose syrup, maize flour and soya oil.

Food Labelling

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact upon (a) existing brands and (b) consumer confidence of the proposed regulation of nutrition and health claims on food packaging and the prohibition of endorsements from healthcare professionals; and whether compensation will be available to businesses adversely affected.

Caroline Flint: The introduction of new safeguards is expected to increase consumer confidence in claims made for food products and to help consumers when making healthy eating choices. A partial regulatory impact assessment (RIA) on the impact of this proposed European Parliament and Council Regulation is available in the Library. This is being revised in light of the latest position and comments from interested parties.
	During the first reading stage of the negotiations, the United Kingdom played a key role in securing deletion of various proposed bans on health claims. A prohibition on endorsements by individual healthcare professionals in labelling and advertising remains in the text and officials are exploring the potential impact of this prohibition on existing claims. Some stakeholders have expressed concern that this ban would apply to all advice by healthcare professionals However, only claims made in commercial communications would be affected.

Food Labelling

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration she has given to the way in which the Food Standards Agency should assess which charitable and healthcare organisations should be permitted to give endorsements to food products under the proposed regulation of nutrition and health claims made on food; what assessment she has made of the impact of this new regulation on the incomes of charities; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The original proposal for an European Commission regulation on nutrition and health claims made on food sought to ban claims which referred to the advice of doctors or other health professionals, or their professional associations, or charities. The partial regulatory impact assessment recognised that this would seriously affect a number of charities and helped to inform United Kingdom policy. The UK was largely responsible for overturning this aspect of the proposal during the first reading stage of negotiation, in favour of control of endorsements or recommendations being left to national rules.
	It is intended to introduce best practice guidelines to the food industry, medical associations and health charities, but there are no plans to introduce a list of charities or healthcare organisations permitted to make recommendations or endorsements of food products. The Food Standards Agency expects to consult on the guidelines before the regulation is adopted.

Food Supplements

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on progress of the EU proposal for a regulation on the addition of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to foods; what her objectives are for the negotiations on this legislation; what assessment she has made of the implications for the setting of maximum permitted levels for nutrients in food supplements under article 5 of the food supplements directive of the proposed authorisation of the fortification of foods under this new regulation; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The proposed European Parliament and Council regulation on the addition of vitamins and minerals and other substances to foods has completed its first reading under the co-decision procedures and is due to begin its second reading in the European Parliament. The United Kingdom has achieved key objectives during the first reading phase of protecting traditional products and of introducing harmonised European Commission arrangements for assessment and possible action concerning the safety of substances other than vitamins and minerals. Our objective is to help steer this proposal to adoption to ensure consumer protection and harmonised rules within the single market.
	The proposal provides for the setting of maximum amounts for vitamins and minerals in foods, not food supplements, which must take into account a scientific risk assessment and intakes from other dietary sources, including food supplements. Article 5 of EC Directive 2002/46/EC on food supplements already contains a similar provision.
	There are, as yet, no EC proposals for the setting of maximum levels for vitamins and minerals, and the Government have made no assessment in relation to their application to food supplements or the fortification of foods. Once proposals come forward, a regulatory impact assessment will be prepared and published for consultation.

Food Supplements

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assistance will be made available to small and medium-sized enterprises from (a) the Government and (b) the European Union in relation to the costs of compliance with the provisions of the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has to date held around 60 meetings to offer regulatory advice to individual companies on their initial plans to register traditional herbal medicines. These meetings are helping companies to use their resources effectively in preparing to meet the requirements of the new registration scheme. The Small Business Service offers guidance and information on new directives and regulations on its website at www.businesslink.gov.uk. The website also sets out the range of support, not linked to specific legislation, that is offered to small business.

GM Crops

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will list all tests carried out for the unauthorised presence of Bt10 in imported (a) maize, (b) maize products and (c) processed foodstuffs intended for (i) animal and (ii) human consumption; and which tests were (A) positive and (B) negative;
	(2)  if she will list all tests carried out for the presence of the illegal GM maize variety Bt10 at (a) British ports and (b) other entry points since March 2005; and which tests were (i) positive and (ii) negative.

Caroline Flint: The sampling of animal feeds (corn gluten feed and brewers' grains) for Bt10 has been carried out by local authorities within their jurisdiction since March 2005. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) does not hold information on the samples taken or the number of samples tested. This information is held by the authorities, which carried out sampling. The FSA is not aware of any sample that was tested and found to be positive for the presence of Bt10 maize.
	The FSA has carried out its own survey in order to increase the number of samples tested for Bt10 maize. The intention of this survey was to sample consignments of raw or minimally processed maize products for animal and human consumption coming into the United Kingdom from the United States of America either at ports or at importers or feed mill premises. Results will be published in early 2006 in accordance with FSA's guidelines on surveys to publish results within 20 weeks of sampling.

GPs

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether general practitioners who overspend their annual budget are penalised by her Department; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many general practitioners had (a) an underspend and (b) an overspend in their budget in each primary care trust area in each of the last two years for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: General practitioner (GP) practices have been able to participate in practice based commissioning (PBC) since April 2005. Prior to this, practices have not been delegated indicative PBC budgets. Therefore, it is not possible to provide the data requested. The publication Practice Based Commissioning:" Engaging practices in commissioning' is available on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/09/03/59/04090359.pdf. Paragraphs 19 to 22 and 33 of this publication address and provide guidance on the issue of GP practices overspending against their indicative practice based commissioning budgets.

GPs

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the siting of local general practitioner practices.

Jane Kennedy: In line with the policy of Shifting the Balance of Power", it is now for primary care trusts to plan, develop and improve general practitioner services. This includes making decisions about the location and relocation of general practitioner practices.

Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how compliance with section 15 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 is monitored; and which NHS organisations (a) have reached, (b) are below and (c) have exceeded the cap applied under that section.

Liam Byrne: The terms of authorisation for national health service foundation trusts (NHSFTs) sets out the limitation on the level of income that can be derived from private patient charges in any financial year. This limitation is underpinned by section 15 of the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003. Each of the current 32 NHSFTs is therefore required under primary legislation and their terms of authorisation to limit the percentage of private patient income to the same level as it was when the organisation was an NHS trust in 2002–03, and cannot increase its income from private patients at the expense of NHS patients.
	Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts) assesses whether NHSFTs are complying with their terms of authorisation using its compliance framework, which is available at www.monitor-nhsft.gov.uk. Compliance with the restriction on private patient activity is measured on an annual basis, I am informed by the chairman of Monitor that no NHSFT has so far exceeded its 'private patient cap'. To do so would mean breaching a statutory duty and the terms of authorisation, where Monitor could use its powers to intervene. Further details on the restriction of private patient income for NHSFTs can be found in Monitor's Review and Consolidated Accounts of NHS Foundation Trusts 2004–05, which was recently laid before Parliament and is also available on Monitor's website.

Health Committee Evidence

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the oral evidence from Mr. Andrew Foster to the Health Committee on 1 December 2005, HC 736-i, on public expenditure on health and personal social services 2005, what the figures on agency staff are which are referred to at Question 128.

Liam Byrne: The figures referred to in the question are the provisional 2004–05 trust financial returns which show that the percentage of total national health service pay bill spent on agency staff has decreased from 5.1 per cent, in 2003–04 to 4.2 per cent, in 2004–05. This is the lowest percentage level in six years.

Health Committee Evidence

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to question 172 of the oral evidence from Mr. John Bacon to the Health Committee on 1 December 2005, HC736-i, on public expenditure on health and personal social services, how many patients were waiting over (a) six months for in-patient treating and (b) 13 weeks for out-patient treatment in each week since 30 September.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is shown in the table. It is important to note that this weekly provider data are not subject to the same validation process as the monthly and quarterly commissioner data published by the Department and is therefore not as robust.
	
		Number of patients waiting for in-patient and out-patient treatment
		
			  Week ending Over six month in-patient waits Over 13 week out-patient waits 
		
		
			 25 September 2005 39,635 50,462 
			 2 October 2005 36,119 43,666 
			 9 October 2005 35,476 45,300 
			 16 October 2005 34,001 44,402 
			 23 October 2005 31,241 39,708 
			 30 October 2005 27,473 33,769 
			 6 November 2005 26,112 32,995 
			 13 November 2005 24,781 32,253 
			 20 November 2005 21,587 28,668 
			 27 November 2005 17,084 22,059 
			 4 December 2005 12,962 13,529 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures included Welsh patients waiting at a hospital in England.
	Source:
	Provider based weekly monitoring data

Health Committee Evidence

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the oral evidence from Sir Nigel Crisp to the Health Committee on 1 December, HC736-i, on public expenditure on health and personal social services 2005, if she will break down the efficiency savings referred to at question 8 by cost area; how much of the saving was made (a) centrally and (b) in each strategic health authority area; and in what time frame she intends further savings to be made.

Liam Byrne: Our autumn performance report published on 7 December provides a breakdown of the current £1.7 billion savings and identifies future plans.
	Efficiency gains have been calculated using national level data and have not been disaggregated to strategic health authority level.

Health Services (Northamptonshire)

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health to which NHS organisations in Northamptonshire her Department intends to send turnaround teams.

Rosie Winterton: The Department does not intend to send turnaround teams to any organisations in the Northamptonshire area.

Health Staff (Early Retirement)

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) general practitioners, (b) consultants and (c) nurses have retired early in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is currently unavailable. The NHS Pensions Agency however expects the information to be available from April 2006 and will write to the hon. Member to provide it in the format requested.

Hepatitis C

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the hepatitis C FaCe it campaign.

Caroline Flint: Qualitative research of hepatitis C awareness among general practitioners and practice nurses has been carried out this year. This research, which repeats a baseline study carried out in 2001, indicates that awareness of hepatitis C is much improved compared to 2001 and that hepatitis C testing is being offered to those known to be at risk.
	The Health Protection Agency has been monitoring the number of reported laboratory diagnoses of hepatitis C, which is a national outcome indicator for implementation of the Hepatitis C Action Plan for England". There has been a noticeable upward trend in hepatitis C diagnoses since 2000 from just under 5,000 reports to around 8,000 in 2004.
	Injecting drug users are the group currently at greatest risk of hepatitis C infection in this country. The unlinked anonymous prevalence monitoring programme's survey of injecting drug users in contact with specialist services showed that 67 per cent. had had a voluntary confidential test for hepatitis C in 2004 compared to 49 per cent. in 2000.
	There has also been qualitative research this year into format and design of the hepatitis C Face Your Past" leaflet, which is being widely distributed as the hepatitis C awareness photography exhibition tours regional cities. This research suggested that the design, content and tone were effective at gaining attention and giving a clear message without causing panic.
	Research into public awareness of hepatitis C will be carried out in 2006. This will repeat a survey of awareness among the general public and groups at increased risk of infection in 2003.
	Note:
	For example, needle exchanges or treatment programmes, such as methadone maintenance.

Heroin Addicts

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the use of (a) buphrenorphine and (b) suboxone in tackling heroin addiction among prisoners.

Rosie Winterton: holding answer 9 January 2006
	People in prison are prescribed buphrenorphine in line with national treatment guidelines. Suboxone is not licenced for use in the United Kingdom for the treatment of heroin addiction.

HIV/AIDS

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were recorded as HIV positive in (a) Northamptonshire and (b) England in each of the last 10 years.

Caroline Flint: HIV data are not available by county; they are available by strategic health authority (SHA) or by region. The data for Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland SHA and England are available on the Health Protection Agency's website at: http://www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/hiv_and_sti/hiv/epidemiology/hars_t ables.htm.

Hospital Beds

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many hospital beds there were per capita in each strategic health authority in England in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  what was the average bed occupancy rate in each strategic health authority area in England in each of the last 10 years.

Liam Byrne: Data for the years 2002–03, 2003–04 and 2004–05 are shown in the table. Strategic health authorities (SHAs) were established in 2002 and, therefore, data prior to 2002–03 are not available on an SHA basis.
	
		Beds available in wards open overnight per 1,000 people and occupancy rate, strategic health authorities in England: 2002–03 to 2004–05
		
			   Beds per 1,000 people Occupancy rate(percentage) 
			 Org ID Name 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 
		
		
			 Q01 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire HA 3.8 3.8 3.7 85.3 85.7 85.2 
			 Q02 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire HA 2.7 2.6 2.6 82.7 81.0 83.1 
			 Q03 Essex HA 3.1 2.9 3.0 85.4 88.0 88.8 
			 Q04 North West London HA 3.8 3.7 3.7 89.2 90.2 88.9 
			 Q05 North Central London HA 4.7 4.8 4.7 88.4 88.3 88.5 
			 Q06 North East London HA 4.0 4.0 3.9 89.4 89.4 91.9 
			 Q07 South East London HA 3.8 3.8 3.8 87.8 87.8 87.3 
			 Q08 South West London HA 3.4 3.7 3.6 86.6 86.2 85.5 
			 Q09 Northumberland, Tyne and Wear HA 5.0 5.1 4.9 79.8 82.1 81.5 
			 Q10 County Durham and Tees Valley HA 4.3 4.3 4.1 80.3 80.6 81.7 
			 Q11 North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolns 3.2 3.2 3.1 82.6 80.6 78.6 
			 Q12 West Yorkshire HA 4.1 4.1 3.9 83.7 83.8 81.6 
			 Q13 Cumbria and Lancashire HA 4.0 3.9 3.7 82.4 83.6 83.3 
			 Q14 Greater Manchester HA 4.2 4.2 4.1 85.2 84.7 83.4 
			 Q15 Cheshire and Merseyside HA 4.1 4.1 4.3 85.5 86.6 85.9 
			 Q16 Thames Valley HA 2.9 2.9 2.8 87.5 86.2 86.3 
			 Q17 Hampshire and Isle of Wight HA 3.2 3.2 3.2 82.9 85.9 84.8 
			 Q18 Kent and Medway HA 3.0 3.0 2.9 90.1 89.7 89.7 
			 Q19 Surrey and Sussex HA 3.5 3.5 3.2 87.7 87.5 87.4 
			 Q20 Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire HA 3.8 3.7 3.6 85.8 85.4 83.9 
			 Q21 South West Peninsula HA 3.6 3.8 3.7 83.2 85.2 82.7 
			 Q22 Somerset and Dorset HA 4.0 4.0 3.9 85.1 85.2 85.0 
			 Q23 South Yorkshire HA 4.7 4.6 4.6 85.3 85.4 76.1 
			 Q24 Trent HA 3.3 3.5 3.4 84.6 84.4 84.7 
			 Q25 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland HA 3.4 3.4 3.3 83.4 83.8 83.5 
			 Q26 Shropshire and Staffordshire HA 3.2 3.3 3.3 85.1 87.1 86.7 
			 Q27 Birmingham and the Black Country HA 4.0 4.0 4.0 87.1 88.5 86.8 
			 Q28 West Midlands South HA 3.2 3.1 3.1 87.7 87.4 89.3 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health form KH03. ONS Mid Year population Estimates

Hospital Re-admissions

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people were re-admitted to hospital in 2005 after being discharged.

Liam Byrne: Information on the total number of people re-admitted is not currently available. Information on England's readmissions, calculated using the star ratings re-admission rate definition, emergency re-admissions to hospitals within 28 days of discharge to hospitals", is available at www.nchod.nhs.uk. The latest year available there is 2003–04. A full definition of the indicator is given in the guidance notes.

Influenza

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if she will lower the age at which the routine winter influenza vaccination becomes available to 50;
	(2)  whether she plans to extend the routine seasonal influenza immunisation programme to all aged 50 years and over.

Caroline Flint: Department of Health funded research is being carried out on the potential benefits of routinely immunising people aged 50 years and over. The results of this research will be considered by the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation (JCVI) which advises us on all issues regarding immunisation.

Influenza

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people of retirement age have sought but not received influenza vaccinations in each London borough in 2005; and if she will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Long-term Conditions (Policies)

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the roles are of (a) the national service framework for long-term conditions and (b) the long-term conditions strategy.

Liam Byrne: The national service framework (NSF) for long-term conditions aims to make sure that services for people with long-term neurological conditions and their families and carers are:
	quicker and easier to use and more closely matched to people's needs;
	better co-ordinated—so people do not have to see too many professionals and tell them the same information about themselves again and again;
	provided for as long as people need them, so that treatment continues without the need for a new referral every time the person has a new problem;
	better at helping people with neurological conditions and their carers to make decisions about care and treatment;
	provided by people with knowledge and experience of specific conditions;
	giving people with long-term neurological conditions better results from their treatment;
	planned around the views of people with long-term neurological conditions and their carers; and
	better at helping people to live more independently.
	The purpose of the long-term conditions information strategy is to ensure that the implementation of the 11 quality requirements, detailed in the NSF, is facilitated by the availability of the appropriate information for patients, families and carers, the general public and care professionals.

Mental Health

Andrew Pelling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the NHS has taken to improve (a) mental health and (b) well-being in the community.

Rosie Winterton: Mental health services are continuing to implement the national service framework for mental health in order to improve access to effective treatment and care, reduce unfair variation, raise standards, and provide quicker and more convenient services. In line with the targets set in the NHS Plan" 343 crisis resolution, 262 assertive outreach and 109 early intervention teams were established in England at the end of March 2005. On the same day, 1,520 community gateway, 654 carer support and 648 graduate workers were in post.
	Progress is also being made towards meeting the Department's public service agreement target to reduce the death rate from suicide and undetermined injury by at least 20 per cent. by 2010. The rate is now 6.6 per cent. below the baseline.
	The Choosing Health" White Paper recognised the importance of supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and adults. To that aim, the White Paper included a set of actions to strengthen individuals and communities and reduce structural barriers. These actions to strengthen individuals and communities and reduce structural barriers. These actions include developing day services further to provide support for employment, occupation and mainstream social contact beyond the mental health system; encouraging employers to adopt policies to promote better mental health at work; expanding help for people with mental health problems by improving access, care planning and referral arrangements; offering new models of physical healthcare for people with mental health problems and developing new approaches to helping them manage their own care; and making available information on all aspects of health and wellbeing.

Morning-after Contraception Pill

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have purchased the morning after contraception pill in London in each of the last five years; and what assessment she has made of the reasons given for purchase.

Jane Kennedy: Data are not held centrally in respect of over the counter purchases of emergency hormonal contraception, or the reasons for purchase.

Neurological Conditions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2005, Official Report, columns 265–6W, on neurological conditions, what the planning recommendations to strategic health authorities were.

Liam Byrne: The planning recommendations for the workforce are published by the Workforce Review Team and are available at:
	www.healthcareworkforce.org.uk/c4/2005/default.aspx.

NHS Care (Private Providers)

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been paid to private providers for treatment given to NHS patients in each year since 2000; and what the projected figure is for 2005.

Liam Byrne: Expenditure on centrally procured independent sector treatment providers was £78.8 million for 2004–05. Data prior to 2004–05 is not available. The projected spend for 2005–06 is £203.5 million.
	Expenditure on locally procured independent sector treatment providers is not separately identified in the annual financial returns of national health service trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities.

NHS Direct

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 28 June 2005, Official Report, column 1521W, on NHS Direct, whether she has (a) undertaken an assessment of, (b) (i) commissioned and (ii) evaluated research into and (c) considered the impact of the operation of NHS Direct on staff recruitment in NHS accident and emergency departments.

Liam Byrne: No such specific assessment or research has been commissioned or undertaken.

NHS Finance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 7 November 2005, Official Report, column 266W, on NHS finance, what role the Department's recovery support unit plays in assessing recovery plans.

Liam Byrne: The Department manages the financial performance of the national health service through strategic health authorities (SHAs). NHS organisations that overspend are required to develop recovery plans to return to financial balance. Recovery plans are agreed and managed by SHAs. A number of NHS organisations and SHAs will be supported in this by the turnaround teams that were recently announced. The turnaround teams will report to the chief executives of the local NHS organisations. The Department's recovery and support unit will continue to performance manage SHAs on the delivery of all key targets including financial performance.

NHS Finance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact on the stability of local health economies of her plan to penalise overspending NHS organisations.

Liam Byrne: The impact of any deficits in 2005–06 will be discussed with each strategic health authority as part of the financial planning process for 2006–07. The planning process for 2006–07 will be completed before the start of the financial year.

NHS Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Written Statement of 1 December 2005, Official Report, column 37WS, on NHS finance data, how many turnaround teams she intends to establish; who will staff the turnaround teams; how staff in turnaround teams will be remunerated; whether (a) strategic health authorities, (b) NHS trusts and (c) primary care trusts are being supported by turnaround teams; whether there are specific trusts to which she intends to send turnaround teams; who will take the decision to send turnaround teams to trusts in financial difficulty; under what legislation the powers available to turnaround teams have been made available; what the total budget for operating turnaround teams will be in (i) the current financial year and (ii) 2006–07; and if she will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on the 1 December 2005 that teams of financial and management experts are to be sent to support the strategic health authorities, national health service trusts and primary care trusts that have the biggest delivery problems.
	An initial assessment began on the 7 December to ensure that the organisations that are forecasting the most significant deficits, expected to number 63, have financial control and that there are an agreed set of actions to restore financial balance.
	Following the initial assessment, the SHA, the Department and the organisation will agree on a tailored package of turnaround support. The chief executives of the most challenged organisations will then be supported in delivering turnaround. The type and length of engagement will be tailored to the needs of specific organisations. The chief executives will remain responsible for delivery in their organisations. The Department has always provided additional expert advice to challenged organisations to support delivery and the turnaround teams are no different as they are not operating under any specific legislation.
	The teams will bring together specialists from the NHS and the commercial sector, including NHS staff with a track record of helping challenged NHS trusts, to provide more locally focused support than the existing performance management systems.
	The contract for the initial assessment was awarded in accordance with the Department's tendering arrangements. The amount of the contract is to be treated as commercial in confidence.
	The cost of the further turnaround support will be dependant on the type of engagement.

NHS Management

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many (a) chief executives, (b) finance directors and (c) other board members have left the boards of(i)strategic health authorities, (ii) NHS trusts and(iii) primary care trusts in each financial year since 1997.

Liam Byrne: Information about how many chief executives, and finance directors have left the boards of national health service bodies is not available centrally. The NHS Appointments Commission has informed about the appointment of non-executive board members since 2001, when it was established. I have asked the NHS Appointments Commission to write to you directly regarding your inquiry.

NHS Reconfiguration

Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what action a primary care trust (PCT) can take if its strategic health authority presents an NHS consultation document on PCT reconfiguration which it considers to be biased;
	(2)  what role (a) she and (b) her Department's independent external panel has in ensuring that (i) strategic health authorities (SHAs) present options for primary care trust (PCT) reconfiguration fairly in their formal NHS consultation document and (ii) SHAs effectively engage the relevant PCT in preparing their formal NHS consultation document on PCT reconfiguration where there are sharply differing views on particular options;
	(3)  what steps she is taking to ensure that the advice given in John Bacon's letter dated 30 November on strategic health authorities engaging primary care trusts in preparing their formal NHS consultation document is followed;
	(4)  what steps she is taking to ensure that the advice given in John Bacon's letter dated 30 November to strategic health authorities (SHAs) regarding SHA and primary care trust reconfiguration is being followed.

Liam Byrne: Guidance issued from the Department to strategic health authorities (SHAs) on the forthcoming consultations clearly states that;
	All options must be presented fairly and given equal weight in your documentation. Appropriate primary care trusts (PCTs) should be involved in drafting sections where an option is not the preferred option of the SHA".
	A further communication was sent on 8 December to all SHA chief executives, which stated
	Responsibility for approving PCT consultations, ensuring they reflect the conditionality set out in my 30 November letter and that equal weight is given to all options, rests with the SHA".
	The letter went on to stress how important it is that particular attention is paid to this, and asked SHA chief executives to personally oversee this.
	We have written to SHAs in a further communication that when preparing a report on the results of the consultation, all views generated as a result of the consultation must be taken into account.
	Consultees can express their views throughout the consultation, and the Secretary of State will take into consideration any objections raised when deciding whether to make the reconfiguration order or not.

NHS Targets

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the targets her Department has set which apply to the NHS; and when these targets are expected to be met in each case.

Jane Kennedy: Details of the national targets for the national health service and social services are set out in National Standards, Local Action", which is available in the Library and on the Department's website at www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/08/60/58/04086058.pdf

NICE

Owen Paterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many cancer drugs approved by the EU Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use are being assessed by the Department prior to referral to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence;
	(2)  how many drugs approved by the EU Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use were not approved by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many drugs approved by the EU Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use are awaiting approval from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

Jane Kennedy: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) does not approve drugs for use; it provides advice to the national health service on the clinical and cost effectiveness of medical treatments. There are no cancer drugs approved for use by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use currently awaiting referral to NICE by the Department.
	We are aware of 23 drugs currently undergoing appraisal by NICE that have been approved by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.

NICE

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence plans to update the technical guidance on atypical anti-psychotic drugs through a general review of its clinical guidelines on the management of schizophrenia.

Jane Kennedy: I understand that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) plans to review its guidance on atypical anti-psychotics drugs as part of the review of its clinical guideline on the management of schizophrenia. NICE plans to start its work in mid 2006. Further information can be found on NICE's website at www.nice.org.uk.

Palliative/Neurological Services

Patrick Hall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what guidance has been issued to local commissioners on the requirement to implement full cost recovery for (a) palliative and (b) neurological care services;
	(2)  what progress has been made towards meeting the commitment in the Treasury's report, The Role of the Voluntary Sector in Service Delivery, in relation to full cost recovery for voluntary providers of palliative care services by 2006; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: Her Majesty's Treasury's cross cutting review recommended that funders should recognise that it is legitimate for voluntary and community sector providers to include the relevant element of overheads in their cost estimates for providing a given service under a contract or service agreement. This recommendation was drawn to the attention of primary care trust commissioners through the Chief Executive Bulletin published on 14 April 2005 (Issue 264, 8–14 April 2005).

Patient Costs

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the cost per patient treated at (a) foundation hospitals and (b) non-foundation hospitals in the last year for which figures are available.

Liam Byrne: There is no data collected centrally at individual patient level. However, data is collected on a finished consultant (FCE) basis. An FCE is defined as a period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. The latest cost data available is 2003–04 when the average cost per FCE for all national health service trusts was £1,206.
	It is not possible to assess the average cost per FCE for existing foundation trusts, as they did not become operational until 2004–05 and cost data for that year is not yet available.

Prescriptions (Pre-payment Certificates)

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to her answer of 2 December 2005, Official Report, column 855W, on prescriptions (pre-payment certificates), how many pre-payment certificates were issued in each (a) London borough, (b) primary care trust and (c) strategic health authority in each month.

Jane Kennedy: Information on the number of pre-payment certificates (PPCs) issued for London by borough, primary care trust or strategic health authority, is not separately identifiable.
	The number of PPCs issued for the whole of England, by month, for each of the last 12 months, was provided in the reply I gave the hon. Member on 2 December 2005, Official Report, column 855W.

Primary Care Trusts

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 15 November 2005, Official Report, column 1178W, on primary care trusts, for what reasons her Department had not collected this information by 24 October as requested in the letter by her Department's director of access dated 13 October.

Liam Byrne: Each of the 303 primary care trusts (PCTs) has provided the Department with data on the providers and services that they have commissioned under the requirement to be offering a choice of at least four secondary care providers to patients from 1 January 2006.
	In conjunction with each PCT, the Department is producing locally-tailored information booklets to support choice of at least four, based on the responses to the letter of 13 October. Each booklet will list the locally-commissioned services for the top 15 specialties. The booklets will be published in due course as part of the roll out of choice of at least four from 1 January 2006.

Radiographers/Speech Therapists

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many training commissions there were for (a) radiographers and (b) speech and language therapists in each strategic health authority in each year since 2002.

Liam Byrne: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		Commissions: 2004–05
		
			 Strategic health authorities Radiography (diagnostic) Radiography (therapeutic) Speech therapy 
		
		
			 Avon, Gloucester and Wiltshire 60 27 0 
			 Birmingham and the Black Country 102 30 99 
			 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire 89 21 0 
			 Cheshire and Merseyside 0 0 0 
			 County Durham and Tees Valley 57 0 0 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire, Hereford and Worcester 163 36 0 
			 Devon and Cornwall 30 0 50 
			 Dorset and Somerset 24 0 0 
			 Essex 7 8 0 
			 Greater Manchester 0 0 80 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 55 16 8 
			 Kent and Medway 60 2 1 
			 Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland 2 0 43 
			 North Central London 0 0 0 
			 North East London 0 0 0 
			 North and East Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire 0 0 0 
			 Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire 52 18 20 
			 North West London 0 0 231 
			 Northumberland Tyne and Wear 0 0 53 
			 South East London 0 0 0 
			 Shropshire and Staffordshire 9 0 0 
			 South West London 210 67 0 
			 South Yorkshire 34 33 0 
			 Surrey and Sussex 2 4 1 
			 Trent 0 0 61 
			 Thames Valley 45 14 41 
			 West Midlands South 0 0 0 
			 West Yorkshire 92 30 54 
			 National Total 1093 306 742

Senior NHS Management

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many displaced chief executive officers and other senior NHS employees without permanent roles are working in each strategic health authority area.

Liam Byrne: The requested information is not collected centrally.

Smoking

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations she has received on tackling smoking in pregnancy.

Caroline Flint: We regularly receive representations on tackling smoking in pregnancy. We have recently received five parliamentary questions on smoking in pregnancy, four from the hon. Member and one from a Peer.
	We have made good progress on this issue since the publication of the White Paper Smoking Kills' in 1998, where we set a target to reduce the percentage of women who smoke during pregnancy from 23 percent., to 15 percent., by the year 2010; with a fall to 18 percent., by the year 2005.
	Information on smoking in pregnancy is obtained from the report on infant feeding which is carried out every five years; the most recent survey was in 2000, this shows the proportion of women, in England, who smoke during pregnancy has fallen to 19 percent.

Smoking

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public money has been spent on smoking cessation schemes for pregnant women in each of the last 10 years.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Smoking

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what protection the smoking legislation in the Health Bill will give to (a) domestic servants and (b) au pairs in their places of work.

Caroline Flint: The smoke-free provisions of the Health Bill will cover 99 percent., of enclosed public places and workplaces.
	The Government have proposed to exempt residential accommodation to give effect to the right to respect for the home and private life in Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
	However, nothing in the Health Bill undermines the Health and Safety obligations which employers already have.

Social Services

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many younger adult clients were seen by social services in Milton Keynes in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: The available information is for adults aged 18 to 64.
	In 2003–04, 120 new clients were assessed and 520 existing clients were reviewed by Milton Keynes council with social service responsibilities. Data for earlier years are not available on a comparable basis.

Sustainable Procurement

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to reassess sustainable procurement practices in the NHS, with particular reference to reusable nappy use on maternity wards.

Jane Kennedy: The Department has a strong commitment to the principles of sustainable development, and this is reflected in the new United Kingdom strategy for sustainable development.
	Through this policy, the Department and its agencies are committed to considering the environmental, social and economic impacts of its procurement. The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA) works with the Department and other Government Departments to increase awareness of sustainable development within the national health service supply chain, and to ensure that wherever possible NHS PASA support the achievement of sustainable development objectives, and support the improvement of the nation's health and well being.
	The use of disposable or re-usable nappies in the national health service is a matter for individual maternity units and trusts to determine locally.

Vitamin D

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has to review vitamin D supplements for pregnant and nursing mothers.

Caroline Flint: The Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy and the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition particularly recommend dietary vitamin D supplements for all pregnant and nursing mothers of 10 micrograms per day.
	As part of the reform of the Welfare Food Scheme the Department is considering options for the manufacture and supply of bespoke vitamin supplements, which include vitamin D.
	Supplements developed as part of the Welfare Food Scheme reforms may also be considered for wider use among pregnant and nursing mothers.

Zoonotic Disease Risk

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether her Department has assessed the zoonotic disease risk in the UK posed by the intensification of meat and dairy production in other countries.

Caroline Flint: The risk of zoonotic disease in the United Kingdom is affected by many factors, of which farming practices are only one. In the case of zoonotic disease a cross-departmental working group monitors human and animal surveillance and assesses the risk associated with new and emerging pathogens. Outputs from this group are reported to the national expert panel for new and emerging infections.